Spas across the world are witnessing a huge jump in the number of men coming in for some serious pampering

Spas across the world are witnessing a huge jump in the number of men coming in for some serious pampering

Move over girls, it’s time to share your spa space with the boys. If you’re smirking then you might stop and want to check out facts like this one first: according to SpaFinder, the international spa and wellness resource, the demand from the male community in the spa industry has grown by 900 per cent in the last four years.

And the factors leading to this are not difficult to identify. “Men now are more conscious of their appearance. They want to be well-groomed for business presentations and client meetings. It’s a sign of professionalism. Added to which are the higher stress levels going around,” says Dr Krishna J., director, medicine, Sanjeeva Medical Spa, Best Western Premier Vedic Village Spa Resort in Rajarhat, Calcutta.

So, feel-good massages, facials and manicures are no longer a women-only domain. Every spa worth its fragrant oils has something special for the boys.

And it’s just not enough to devise massages for men. Apparently, egos need massaging too at times. Says Colin Gary Hall, head of spa operations, Ananda in the Himalayas and Ista Hotels: “There are sensitivities that need to be taken care of. Many words need to be replaced in order to make the therapies more ‘masculine’.”

So, the spas in Ista hotels in Hyderabad and Amritsar have special men’s spa menus. “We ensure that the products used have little or no fragrance. The names of the treatments are more ‘male’ too, like ‘rock facial’ instead of a ‘crystal facial’. Women administer the therapy or treatment as they do not threaten or challenge the male. The whole idea is to make the male guest feel comfortable,” he adds.

Comfort is the byword at Anaya Spa at Ganga Kutir Resort & Spa in Raichak as well. Check your weary bones in to this riverside resort and head for the Vihangam Deep Tissue Massage — the ultimate men’s stress buster.

A full-body treatment, this massage targets the calf muscles, the thighs and the back. The aromatic creams used contain ginger, camphor, green apple and lime blend along with camphor oil and jojoba. While ginger is known to provide relief for aching muscles, arthritis and improves the poor blood circulation, camphor possesses anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. The massage lasts for 50 minutes and costs Rs 1,800.

The spa also offers a 60-minute facial for men that promises to cleanse and smoothen the skin. Priced at Rs 1,900, this includes a deep cleansing, exfoliating, moisturising and relaxing massage. It also includes a neck and hand massage. The ingredients in the treatment include wheat germ facial massage cream, fruit and nut scrub, cocoa and milk face masque and lotus seed cleansing milk.

Aikya Spa in Salt Lake also offers a 45-minute Men’s Skin Treatment routine. Priced at Rs 2,500, the treatment uses Dermalogica products and takes into consideration factors like shaving habits to help prevent ingrown hairs. The routine begins with cleansing, followed by exfoliation and extractions. And while the skin is treated to a re-hydrating masque, the client gets a hand, foot or shoulder massage.

“Indeed, facials have now become part of a man’s ‘monthly self-maintenance’ routine,” says Dr Rajesh Srinivas, vice president, operations, Amoda Spa. “More men use sunscreen now. And most men shop for needs-specific skincare products,” he adds.

More men are now using need-specific skincare products than ever before

Apart from its men’s facials, Amoda offers Purusha, a 180-minute, Rs 5,000-ritual created for the metrosexual man. This pamper fest includes a facial by Phytomer, a premium cosmetic brand from France, followed by a cooling sandalwood body mask. The experience is completed with a hot stone therapy to de-stress the head, neck, shoulder and back.

Aura, the spa at The Park in Calcutta, is not far behind, with Stress Buster — just what any jet-setting professional would want to beat the jet lag. This olive oil-based massage consists of Thai stretching techniques coupled with European massage styles. Priced at Rs 3,200, the 60-minute treatment includes back, legs, arms, abdomen and chest, and face and scalp massages.

Treatments offered at Hotel Ista, Hyderabad, also include rituals designed specifically for men. The 115-minute Rugged for Men ritual aims at de-stressing while restoring body equilibrium. It includes use of the hydrotherapy area, a light spa lunch, Rock Facial, Stone Massage and Stress Busting Reflexology. The 90-minute Detox for Men uses various massage techniques to provide relief from muscular aches and pains and includes the Ista Herbal Infusion drink, reflexology, the Rhythm and Touch massage and the Detox Salt Scrub.

Back home, the Sanjeeva Medical Spa is one of its kind as it offers therapies based on Panchakarma (bio-purification or detoxification) Ayurveda principles. Panchakarma therapies (which are of five kinds and are prescribed to a person in various combinations according to his requirement) last for anything between seven days to a month. During this time, the patient is required to stay at the spa. Apart from general detoxification, this form of therapy is used for chronic ailments like sinusitis, obesity and arthritis and is prescribed for men according to their body type. Treatments at Sanjeeva also compulsorily include Yoga therapy.

And men are lapping it all up. “Apart from relaxation, we have men coming in for everything from minor health issues like back, arm and wrist pain and mild psychological disturbances like irritability and disturbed sleep to chronic ailments,” says Dr Krishna. In fact, Sanjeeva Medical Spa has witnessed a 15 per cent rise in its male clientele each year for the last three years.

Clearly the pink shirts are done to death, it’s the spa now that’s caught the metrosexual man’s fancy.