BY KELLY HEITZ

Men in the Spa The good news is , male spa attendance is already on the rise . According to ISPA ’ s ongoing research through Consumer Snapshot Studies , the proportion of spa-goers who are male has shot up from 31 percent less than 10 years ago to 47 percent and growing . “ Men are starting to realize spa isn ’ t just for women ,” says Claudine Riemer , spa director at the Sabila Spa Villa Del Palmar in Loreto , Mexico . “ As the population is aging , men too are realizing the importance of being healthy and taking care of themselves .”

Renvye Byrd , spa director at Safety Harbor Resort in Safety Harbor , Florida agrees : “ Men are also becoming increasingly aware of the fact that spas are not only about beauty and pampering , but mostly about health and wellness , which is for everyone , gentlemen included . This shift in mindset is a huge contributor to the rise in male spa attendance .”

The same Consumer Snapshot Study found that men are going to spas because they are stressed out and tired . Most work in management positions and use the spa as a break from their hectic lives . Per the study : “ Compared to his non-spa-going counterpart , the male spa-goer is more likely to report higher levels of stress ; a feature that appears to be correlated to higher levels of profes-

June is Men ’ s Health Month , which aims to promote health and wellness among men around the world . According to the Men ’ s Health Network , men , in general , take less care of themselves than women . With that in mind , it ’ s not surprising that MHN also reports that men are dying an average of five years younger than the women of the world . This statistic seems staggering , but luckily the spa community is in the perfect position to change it .

Wellness can often be perceived as a female endeavor , when in reality both sexes should be focusing on improving their overall health . As centers of health , wellness and healing , spas are uniquely able to tap into the male market and improve the stigma that being well is a feminine concept .

Spa treatments like pedicures no longer have the stigma of being " for females ." Sabila Spa Villa del Palmar makes men feel more comfortable by catering the atmosphere to their interests .

42 PULSE ■ June 2017