In Focus: Laser Clinics UK sees 70% customer return post-lockdown

Beauty salons opened their doors to eager customers in England last week, after the Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden gave the green light.

The green light followed widespread dismay and anger at the Government’s decision to allow pubs, restaurants, hairdressers and barbers to restart trading on 4 July, while beauty salons remained closed.

Current regulations do not allow for treatments on the face, including face waxing, threading, eyelash treatments, make-up application, dermarolling, microblading or electrolysis.

The government has however confirmed this week that clinics should be able to start treatments on the face from 1 August.

The measures implemented are reversible and dependent on any local spikes.

Despite re-opening, salon owners remain nervous. As a highly fragmented industry where the majority of business owners are relatively young and female, many have invested their life savings into their business.

According to the Office for National Statistics, there are more than 10,000 beauty salons in the UK, employing over 50,000 qualified beauty professionals - almost all of whom have been furloughed or laid off during the last four months.

Yet speaking with Bridget Healy, Managing Director of Laser Clinics UK, a network of 13 individually owned aesthetic clinics across the UK, it is safety that is the main concern for the industry going forward.

“It’s been a long lockdown. A lot of people want to re-start their favourite treatments and beauty routine. But there is still a lot of anxiety about health and safety. We want to make sure that our customers feel 100% safe when they do come back in, and we are doing everything we can to reassure them.” 

Healy exclusively told TheIndustry.fashion that in the week since re-opening, excluding facial treatments, they have seen an approximate 70% customer return rate after restrictions were eased, suggesting that people are treating skincare as much of a requirement as hair appointments.

Her sentiments are echoed by Alison Jackson, Co-Founder of UK Skin and Laser, who commented: “We had three clinics set to open right before COVID-19 hit. This has been devastating for us but the main thing now is that we make sure that the government has no reason to think we pose more of a risk than any other service industry.”

Companies like Laser Clinics UK have been working to ensure that all of the appropriate protocols and personal protective equipment in place have been implemented in clinics, ensuring visitors feel it is a safe and sterile environment.