Last week, Sk:n announced the closure of all of its brands and clinics, stating lack of investment as the cause of liquidation

Boasting over 70 branches and more than 450  consultants, doctors, nurses and medical practitioners, Sk:n was one of the largest cosmetic surgery and ‘tweakments’ providers in the UK. 

Last week, it shut all of its doors, social media channels and website stating: ‘The company has undertaken an extensive process to secure investment to enable it to continue trading but sadly we’ve been unsuccessful.’

Owner of Sk:n, SKN Group, has been affected across the board announcing the closure of The Harley Medical Group, The Skin Experts and ABC Medical too. 

In its statement, the clinic also said: ‘We recognise this outcome will have a significant impact on our team members and our customers and we are deeply sorry for the stress and inconvenience this has caused.

‘We are doing all we can to address the concerns of those affected and will be contacting all clients still awaiting test results as soon as possible. All further updates will be provided on this website and when available.’

Numerous factors are thought to have contributed to the shutting. Pandemic closures hit the chain hard, as did the increase in smaller clinics and the drop in consumer spending due to the cost of living crisis.

It has also been noted that Sk:n’s growth strategy was unsustainable. Since being acquired by private equity company TriSpan in 2019, the chain opened 30 more clinics after only opening 40 in the three decades prior. It’s thought that rent and equipment costs could have fed in to the unforeseen liquidation too.

The closure of the chain on July 17, seems to have ‘blindsided’ staff and customers, with the groups PR agency, Kendrick, saying on social media: ‘We received no prior notification from the business regarding what was happening and unfortunately, we still have no information or official statements from the company to respond to queries from either press or patients.’ 

The British Beauty Council approached Kendrick for comment, to which it responded: ‘Our understanding is that all staff access has been closed down as part of the liquidation process, so we also cannot pass on any messages or requests for commentary from the company and have had no contact from them.’

In response, the government’s Insolvency Service has created a guide for the 800+ staff affected and clients of the clinics. Guidance can be accessed here. The industry has also clubbed together to provide assistance and opportunities for those left unemployed by the collapse. These opportunities have been collated by Professional Beauty, here. 

 The British Beauty Council will continue to report on this story, providing updates as and when they happen.