The time-immemorial battle cry of women - "if you men only knew what it was like to go through what we have to!" - is coming, slowly but surely, true. Men are finally beginning to embrace the misery, suffering and woe of the painful, humiliating and terrifying ordeals which have dogged the female of the species since the whole rigmarole began.

Cries of "ridiculous!" would have greeted anyone who, ten years or even fewer ago, opined that men would subject themselves, voluntarily, to the kind of beauty treatments that have long been the sole preserve of women. And just last week, amongst good friends in a South London bar, I was on the receiving end of some distinctly uncool homophobic remarks when I mentioned this article and what I'd had to do to research it!

But there is no doubt that the public's attitude towards men's treatments is changing, and changing at speed. Some health & fitness operators are reporting that as many as 60% of their regular clients for beauty treatments are now male. Elsewhere, and particularly out of London, the take-up is slower. But there's no doubt that men are fast becoming as willing as women to buff, balm, pamper and preen.

A recent survey conducted on behalf of cosmetics giant Neutrogena throws up some enigmatic theories. Apparently, a large proportion of teenage boys said they preferred looking good to playing football and that appearance, not intelligence, is the key to future happiness and success. Believe this or believe it not, there is growing pressure on men to be image-conscious and, therefore, well-groomed, with role-models such as Davids Beckham and Ginola championing the "look good, be cool" mantra.

Coverage in lifestyle magazines such as GQ, Esquire and FHM are cited by operators as being an important catalyst in the men's treatment market. The media in general have recently latched on to the sexiness of the subject, with London listings magazine Time Out publishing lengthy features and local TV news shows doorstepping salons and clubs to catch freshly-scrubbed lads for vox-pop features.

"Around 30% of our guests are men" says Jonathan Stapleton, General Manager of the Champneys Health Resort at Tring in Hertfordshire, "so we're totally in sync with the international market, but not with the UK one. We operate to the same philosophy of lifestyle change as American operators such as Canyon Ranch. UK men are not natural risk-takers and are much more conservative than international men."

So how are operators to drag the UK male, protesting furiously, into the realm of the treatment-aware? Most operators feel that some changes need to be made to the traditional perception of health & beauty areas within fitness clubs, with décor defeminisation and tailored terminology - "scrub" instead of "exfoliation", "grooming" replacing "pampering" - top of the list of musts.

Men may have a problem taking the initial plunge for as simple a reason as the treatment area looking too girly. Feminine-looking logos using floral images will alienate men and what was deemed appropriate décor in the early 1990s may need a realignment to suit the increasingly male-influenced environment of today.

"We mustn't go on about 'pampering' when we're addressing men" Stapleton says. "We look at what suits each individual, their body type and personality. We tell them that, for example, a facial is beneficial because it is so deeply relaxing and relaxation aids physical and mental well-being. And, of course, men don't want to sit there with a mud-pack on their face or covered in products that smell like breakfast cereal! The male market is a growth area, but it is unlikely to go the same way as it has in the States, where many men are spa-junkies. Men will never have as many treatments as women - they're unlikely to have lymphatic drainage, for example!"

Male perceptions of the regimen itself are important, with Indian head massage, Thai massage, shiatsu and acupressure being seen as masculine treatments. In Stapleton's view "men need to be reassured that the whole procedure is for a real purpose. It's a question of education." Katherina Nandy, General Manager of The Refinery, a swish men's treatment salon in London's Mayfair, says "The natural barrier between men and beauty is a relatively recent thing - in Roman times, men were always having baths and treatments."

At the 8,000-member Cannons City health & fitness club, Spa Manager Ella Winter is thrilled with the volume of her male clientele - around 60% of spa users. "Over the last year, the male business has really increased" Winter says. "We're in the City, so we get all the traders. In the last couple of years, it's got so that the guys don't worry about coming in for facials and so on. They don't care what people think and are much more aware of the need to look after themselves."

The club's Retreat spa area, a visit to which does not require membership of the main club, features Elemis products, as do all Cannons clubs, and offers a raft of dedicated men's treatments including facials, aromatherapy, flotation, hydrotherapy baths, manicures, pedicures and - the most popular - back, neck and shoulder massages. Outside consultants provide chiropody, physiotherapy and sports injury facilities, as well as reflexology, Reiki, Amatsu, shiatsu, crystal healing and, quirkily appropriate for City slickers, psychotherapy and counselling.

Special offers for men are devised, and cross-promoted in the main club's gym and changing areas. A particularly successful marketing ploy was to offer swift, complimentary head-massages in the reception area, to allow potential clients a chance to get the flavour. "The spa is quiet, relaxing and serene, whereas the club itself is all action" Winter comments. "It's a completely different atmosphere and the lads love it. My boyfriend wouldn't have dreamed of going for a massage until he met me - now I can't keep him away!"

The male business is still building a few miles away at Esporta Islington. General Manager Emma Dixon is working hard to push her male treatments. "We haven't done massive promotions aimed at men yet" she says "so they only make up about 10% of our treatments customers - suits, aged between 30 and 40. We'll be taking the bull by the horns soon and marketing the facilities specifically to men."

"When you're fitting out your spa areas, you have to steer away from pinks and lime-y colours and try to appeal to males without alienating women" says James Beaver, General Manager of Esporta's new £6 million, adults-only Eden club in Chislehurst, Kent. Beaver cites the club's hydrotherapy spa and massage as the most popular attractions with men and stresses the importance of talking - and listening - to male customers to assess their preferences and concerns.

Other operators too are targeting men, most notably LivingWell, who are promoting a day-long dedicated treatment session in around half their clubs, with the frightening procedure that is body-waxing as an integral part of the mix. Male clients currently account for almost 25% of their treatment business.

Dedicated men's product ranges are seen as vital to the success of treatments in general, with men opting for packs of several complementary products rather than choosing individual items. Elemis provides a travel-kit for men, retailing at around £25, which contains cleansing wash, skin survival cream, skin scrub and two shower products, packaged in a macho black toiletry bag. Decléor has recently launched a dedicated aromatherapy skincare line for men, which includes shaving products, self-tan, deodorant, body gel and eau de toilette. "The packaging of Decléor's range for men looks fabulous and the products are very popular with our members" says James Beaver. "I don't think that unisex ranges really work for men - you have to gear yourself up to appeal specifically to them."

"One of the defining reasons why men have had a change of heart over treatments is attitude" says Elemis Senior Marketing Executive Sonia Mir. "People used to go to the gym just for weight control, but the reasons have now changed to stress management and to improve their quality of life. Looking after yourself is no longer exclusive to females - man are much more aware of the effect that modern living, pollution, poor diet and so on can have on their health and are embracing the relationship between physical health and inner wellbeing."

So millennium-man is, it seems, prepared to risk comparison with the efflorescent 1980s New Romantics to make what is perceived by many as a statement about the age of equality. Yet there is but one constant that sorts out the men from the, er, girls - almost without exception, all therapists are female. Research shows that heterosexual men balk at the idea of having their bodies burnished by other men, for fear it may compromise their sexuality! Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose - anyone fancy a pint?