I consider myself an enlightened individual, and – as someone who suffered his share of acne as a teenager – I accept the power of effective facial cleansers, exfoliants and moisturisers. I visit spas regularly, too, usually for a massage or a therapeutic bath while on assignments overseas. And I find it difficult to resist an expert pedicure.

But the idea of facials has always intimidated me. In part, it's because words like "peel" and "acid" get bandied around. But it's also due to social conditioning: some part of me is afraid of being ridiculed or accused of frivolity for pampering myself. Rightly or wrongly, the facial has historically been considered an indulgence meant solely for women.

Paul Anderson, who operates spas in Sydney and Melbourne under the Mankind banner, says many men feel intimidated by the idea of facials, despite wanting to take care of their skin.

"Before we opened the first store in 2004, what I was hearing from men was that they wanted to come into a space they felt was their own," he says.

In other words, being in a manly space seemed important for many prospective customers.

Mankind is one of a slew of spas opened in Australia in recent years with the aim of making men feel more comfortable about seeking aesthetic treatments. I chose to visit Mankind because I thought its name was cleverer than those of competitors such as Man Cave and Face of Man (both in Sydney) and less confusing than Manhor (Melbourne).

On arrival, I was pleased by the abundant natural light and neutral palette, which struck me as more unisex than masculine. And the facial, a 45-minute procedure dubbed The Face Treatment ($105), made my skin noticeably brighter.

"Men's skin is thicker and generally more prone to congestion," Anderson says. "That makes deep cleansing especially important."

There are signs that cultural attitudes towards men's facials are shifting, he says. "When we opened, our clientele was 90 per cent gay. Now, it would be close to 50/50."

And at the top end of the market – the spas at five-star hotels – male-specific facial treatments are proliferating. At the Chuan Spas at The Langham hotels in Sydney and Melbourne, men can opt for a 90-minute package called A Man's World ($239), which includes a tailored facial and an optional add-on eye treatment.

One for the expense account, perhaps?