SCOTTISH men are spending on average just £61 less than women on salon treatments each year as they indulge in the kind of pampering once the sole preserve of females, says a new survey.

The study found men are likely to book treatment appointments every month, more than any other area of the UK, for anything from massages to topping up their suntans or having a haircut and colouring.

According to Salon Services' Beautiful Britain report, which surveyed more than 2200 hair and beauty professionals, men from north of the Border are spending £1038 a year. The figure includes on average 18 tan "top-ups".

Meanwhile, women are paying £1099 over the same period on salon treatments. The boom has helped the industry, with almost half of hair and beauty professions in Scotland saying they will hire more staff this year. It is estimated that could be worth more than 2100 jobs to the economy.

Edinburgh salon owner Philip Politi said: "Like all small businesses in Scotland, the past few years have been challenging, but we're starting to see customer confidence return."