The increased popularity of tanning amongst men has led to nine out of ten West Midland beauty salons hiring on average up to 5 additional employees over the past five years to cope with demand, according to a new survey.
The research reveals that over 77 per cent per cent (77.27 per cent) of the West Midland beauty salons surveyed have seen an increase in business of up to 80 per cent, predominantly generated by male customers and mainly attributed to a surge in tanning services. More than 59 per cent (59.46 per cent) of respondents state that they have noticed a significant rise in men using bronzing products over the past five years. In response to this, over 95 per cent (95.45 per cent) of salons have introduced more male focused treatments such as sun bed UV tanning, spray tanning and sun booth UV tanning to capitalise on this growth area.
The survey was conducted online among 1,008 business respondents nationwide including beauty salon owners; beauty salon managers; senior beauty therapists/consultants; junior beauty therapists/consultants and trainee beauty salon therapists/consultants in May 2015 by AURA tanning sprayers, the UK personal care division of the Swiss WAGNER Group (www.aurasprayers.com).
Dr Walayat Hussain, consultant dermatologist at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust says: “These figures clearly show that the desire to obtain a tanned appearance is not just attributable to women. Men & women of all ages should be aware that UV exposure is the biggest risk factor contributing to the ever increasing rates of skin cancer in the UK. It is of great concern to skin cancer specialists like myself that still people believe that getting a tan from sunbeds is healthy. Studies looking into skin cancer have shown that the risk for the development of melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer is highest for those who had used a sunbed before the age of 35. When the skin is exposed to UV rays, the cells become damaged and in order to prevent further damage, the pigment producing cells in the skin start to work harder thereby producing the tan that many desire. A tan produced by UV exposure is therefore actually a sign of sun damage in the skin. In this regard, spray tanning (whilst continuing to use sunblock when needed) is far safer than UV tanning. Although currently in the UK more women than men are diagnosed with melanoma, if the male desire to use sunbeds continues to increase this trend may soon be reversed. "
Dr Valentin Langen, global brand development director at AURA, says: “It’s interesting to see that men are clearly contributing in a positive way to the tanning industry's economy. However, the important message here is to ensure that consumers bronze safely and avoid excessive exposure to harmful UV rays. Opting for a spray tan to achieve a sun kissed glow is a more sensible option.”
AURA spray tanning machines are manufactured by experienced engineers, highly trained product managers and operations experts using premium materials. The sprayers are created in cutting-edge production plants where all designs are tested to ensure they meet safety standards and provide reliable longevity.
The innovative AURA product line-up has patented ‘Click & Tan’ gun technology for the quick change of tanning solutions and a patented ‘satin’ nozzle design to ensure the finest atomisation and lowest overspray. It also has control buttons for different operation speeds and user-friendly hose management systems.
