A recent survey conducted by Champneys found a quarter of the men questioned would like to see male-specific treatments in spas.
Champneys spa group recently conducted a survey of 1000 men and found a whopping 36 percent felt a stigma attached to visiting a spa, with many of them believing that spas are too feminine. Whilst 29 percent of men also felt spas don’t cater for them and 21 percent said they would only visit a spa if they were accompanied by a female partner or friend.
Historically, spas were a gender-neutral environment, a place for men and women to relax, socialise and use for therapeutic and health purposes long before modern medicine was introduced. Sadly, over time, a perception grew that spas were, typically, for women only, and it is only in recent times have these barriers started to break down. Today’s contemporary records show that more men are willing to invest in health and wellbeing, but clearly, there are still large numbers of men who don’t feel spas are gender-inclusive environments. So, what more can be done to shift the perception that spas do not cater for men?
Aesthetics Ayrshire, based in Ayr, is a perfect example of how these barriers can be broken down. Having installed a whole body cryotherapy chamber at the start of 2020 in an interview with The National, they stated:
‘We have more male customers than most clinics. They come for Cryotherapy and then realise the clinic is a unisex space and are more willing to learn about treatments they might wish to have. It is the most unexpected people getting the biggest benefits.’
Christina Saunders, Business Development Director at CryoAction says:
‘There are a number of ways spa and wellness centres can attract men, but until Spas really start to consider what men really want nothing will change. Whole Body Cryotherapy, which caters to multiple markets, male and female, young and old, is one way of expanding and catering to multiple markets. Introducing holistic therapies, such as cryotherapy, which cater to multiple markets, offers potential clients all manner of wellness benefits, from aesthetics to relaxation, stress reduction, active fitness recovery, and more. Just as the case with Aesthetic Ayr, cryotherapy can be the initial draw, but spas will find that men then start to enquire about other treatments such as massage and facials, consequently, changing their perception and breaking down the stereotype.’
CryoAction’s own survey conducted on health, wellbeing, and recovery, found that 22.1% of male respondents would like to see cryotherapy introduced as an option in spas and health clubs.
The survey also highlighted an opportunity for spas to cater for a service men might be struggling to access elsewhere, with 28.6% of male respondents saying that their gym did not offer the facilities they need forcing them to visit specialist sports centres, clinics, or spas.
Overall, 26.7% of male respondents said they ‘strongly’ or ‘somewhat’ agreed that they would be willing to use cryotherapy, however, the survey highlighted the need for further education on the nature and uses of cryotherapy since over 40% of respondents were unable to make an informed response due to a lack of knowledge about the therapy. Therefore, it seems highly likely that as awareness of cryotherapy increases so too will the demand for its use.
As the Champneys research highlighted, there is still work to be done to generate a further shift in the male perception of spas. By offering the latest treatments that have not been predefined as gender-specific, such as cryotherapy, there is the opportunity for spas to expand their appeal to a much wider range of clientele.
For more information about CryoAction Cryotherapy Chambers, you can call us on 0800 014 8058 or contact us here
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