Italians spend 24 bn to make themselves more beautiful

(ANSA) - ROME, OCT 26 - Italians spend some 24 billion euros to make themselves more beautiful each year, eco-dermatology association Skineco said Saturday.
    They spend 24 billion euros a year on body care, including beauty treatments, hairdressers and various products, and for the "cosmetics" category alone, citizens' spending has increased by 31. 5% in 10 years, said the group.
    "In 2023, Italians invested an average of around 929 euros per family in beauty and body care - Skineco calculates.
    "Just for the "cosmetics" category, which includes products for hygiene, face, hair, perfumery, etc., spending in traditional, e-commerce and professional channels stood at 12.5 billion euros, with a growth of +31.5% in 10 years. A constantly growing turnover, considering that estimates for 2024 see the sector reach 13.5 billion euros, with an increase of +8% on the year". Hair deserves a separate discussion, Skineco said.
    For Italians, scalp care is no longer a merely aesthetic factor, but has become fundamental for the psycho-physical balance of the individual. The proof comes from the budget that Italians dedicate to this item: over 1 billion euros in 2023 for hair products (shampoo, gel, hairspray, dyes, etc.) and almost 9.8 billion euros spent on hairdressers (men, women and children), on average almost 380 euros per year per family. "Hair represents joys and sorrows for Italians - explains Skineco president, Pucci Romano - If a range of between 80% and 85% of men and 35-40% of women have problems of various types with their hair, in Italy androgenetic alopecia (baldness) affects approximately 44% of the male population. Not only genetic factors but also external causes, such as stress and air pollution, fuel problems related to hair which, according to some recent studies, have direct negative effects on the scalp, worsening the health of the hair". (ANSA).