Entrepreneurs looking good with skin care launch

TWO laser skin care professionals who have completed a three-year non-competition clause after the sale of their previous business have launched a new venture after gaining backing from Yorkshire Bank.

Good Skin Days, which offers a range of cosmetic, non-invasive laser skin care services, has been launched in Guiseley, West Yorkshire, by John Gill and Paul Jones as part of a £2.5m investment.

The pair, who aim to roll-out the concept nationally, have been backed by Yorkshire Bank’s North Yorkshire Financial Solutions Centre (FSC).

The two laser skin care specialists, who previously ran Lasercare Clinics, re-branded as sk:n in 2005, have created nine jobs with more to follow, with the launch of Good Skin Days.

The venture has been launched on a site initially acquired by their other joint venture, specialist medical property development business, CityMed Investments, based in Harrogate.

The property development firm is identifying and developing sites nationally for medical centres which it will lease and hold as an investment portfolio.

A total of £450,000 has been invested in the latest laser skincare technology for Good Skin Days, which has created posts for a medical director, consultant plastic surgeon, a consultant dermatologist, aesthetic nurses and skin and laser therapists.

Treatments offered include laser hair and tattoo removal, laser skin resurfacing, mole and birthmark removal, botox, facial fillers and treatment for facial red veins.

The founding of both new ventures follows the sale of sk:n, where Mr Gill was executive chairman and Mr Jones was marketing director. The business became the largest non-invasive laser surgery business in the UK with 18 sites nationally, including in Harley Street, London.

At the time of its sale, the business treated 15,000 clients a month and carried out 180,000 procedures a year before its sale 2006 to venture capitalists, Graphite Capital, for an undisclosed sum.   

CityMed Investments, founded in 2007, which now holds several sites throughout the UK acquired the Guiseley site for its own use but decided to develop it as the first Good Skin Days clinic, a concept it aims to roll out nationally.

Good Skin Days and CityMed director, Mr Jones, said: “After the sale of sk:n, and in spite of its continuing success, we felt that there was room for another non-invasive laser skincare business based our considerable experience and the Guiseley site has proved to be an ideal first base for this venture.

“It’s still early days but once the business is making significant progress, we will focus on looking at other site opportunities with a view to using our experience to grow the business nationally.

Yorkshire Bank North Yorkshire FSC business partner, David McIntyre, said: “John Gill and Paul Jones are hugely experienced in their field both from the property development point of view and in providing laser skin care treatments. We are sure that they will make a success of this new business and look forward to helping them grow and develop another national enterprise.”