The Filipino men who go to drastic lengths to preserve their looks The nation's males are embracing metrosexuality 84 per cent believe 'looks are everything' Facials, skin peels and skin whitening treatments are increasingly popular In rural areas, fishermen improvise with masks to protect from sun damage Pink beauty parlours offering facials and anti-ageing treatments are often the preserve of women but in the Philippines, business is booming thanks to men. The nation's males are embracing metrosexuality and regularly having beauty treatments to enhance their looks. Their vanity is also extending to their working lives with fishermen in Manila wearing fabric masks to protect their skin from darkening in the sun - because they believe dark skin is 'ugly.' Let's go fishing: In rural areas, fishermen are donning fabric masks to protect their skin from the sun Concerned about their looks: The fishermen in Laguna de Bay in Taguig City say they don't want their skin to get darker Improvising: The masks are a cheaper anti-ageing alternative for the men who can't afford to visit beauty parlours Explaining the masks, one of the fishermen said: 'We already have dark skin, we'll be ugly if we get even darker' Working in the heat: The men including Tikyo Malimutin, 33, pictured, are out on the water for six to eight hours a day A cigarette break is still possible for Tikyo Malimutin, left, thanks to the mouth hole cut in his mask Photographer Cheryl Ravelo was sent to the area to investigate the boom for male cosmetic treatments in the Asia Pacific region. Writing on a blog for news agency Reuters, she reveals how men in the area, who once aspired to be 'macho' now just want to be beautiful. She said: 'In a regional study conducted in 2004 by global market survey company, Synovate, 84 per cent of men in Manila agree that looks are everything. The same is true even for rural menfolk. They do not have the money to get facial treatments or buy whitening products, but they care about how they look. Ms Ravelo visited beauty parlours in Manila that cater for both women and men and have a thriving market with the latter. Embracing metrosexuality: A beautician applies a mask to a man's face during a facial treatment that costs £14 in Manila Beauty boom: 84 per cent of men believe 'looks are everything' and will have skin peels to achieve perfection Laser treatment: This man has light therapy to banish lines No pain, no gain: A dermatologist performs an anti-acne injection, that costs £1.50 per spot, at a skin care clinic at a mall in Quezon City, Manila Not so macho: The parlours may be pink, but that's not putting the men off On her visits, she met men having facials in their lunch hours, skin peel treatments to help them look younger, and investing in expensive whitening skin treatments to achieve their ideal of beauty. At one parlour, she found a group of men who had gone along for treatments together on an alternative boys' night out. She writes that she was surprised by the varied clientele she met and how they didn't seem phased at being treated at a centre decked out like a Barbie house. She said: 'I am not a stranger to beauty centres, but bright pink tiles and couches in the reception area, and the same loud color for attendants" uniforms could be a shock for most men.' The men she met included one 'with colour highlights in his spiked hair, looking surprisingly younger than his 58 years'. Mr Vain: Ryan Estipona uses his mobile phone as a mirror as he waits for a facial treatment Looking good: Ryan Tan admires his reflection as he applies a skin care product at a beauty parlour in Paranaque City Seal of approval: Many of the men, like Ryan pictured with his wife, Anne, say they have the beauty treatments to look better for their partners 'He said he was a regular client for 10 years and was getting the latest cell booster infusion mask on that particular visit, a procedure to combat and protect the skin against the effects of destructive free radicals, nourish the skin cells and encourage tissue regeneration,' she writes. Other men booked 'advanced real gentleman facials' to 'boost their self confidence and look good for their partners', while another tattooed man who was happy to be identified had a skin peel. Ms Ravelo said: 'Jan Saguinsin, 32, with tattoos on his arms, lay down comfortably on a pink bed, his hair pushed back using a pink embroidered headband and his hands were covered in a pink hot moist pack while an attendant gave him a power skin peel treatment. I smiled to myself seeing his tattoos pressed against the pink bedsheet. Boys' night out: Some of the men visit the beauty parlours in groups to have treatments Anti-ageing: A man has a £30 nano power peel to look younger Pink palace: The beauty parlour is decked out to appeal to women but it's men who are causing a boom in business The photographer discovered the desire to be beautiful wasn't just a concern for businessmen in the cities who can afford beauty treatments. Rural fisherman who earn £1 to £5 a day also want to maintain their looks. They do this by wrapping their face and necks in homemade masks to protect their skin from damage. As well as preventing premature ageing, they do this to prevent their skin getting darker - which they believe is unattractive - as they spend six to eight hours at day out on the water fishing. 'We already have dark skin, we'll be ugly if we get even darker,' said Romeo Apelado, 59, a fisherman at Laguna de Bay in Taguig City.