Introducing Trends in Your Practice

Implementing Trends in Your Clinic

Dr Sophie Shotter discusses five global trends which are driving the future of aesthetics and how you can easily execute them in your practice

To future proof revenue, all businesses must be dynamic and evaluate the key themes that drive their patient base. If you maintain the status quo and ignore global trends, you may find yourself getting left behind. Former Intel Corp CEO Andrew Grove once said, “Success breeds complacency. Complacency breeds failure.”1 Therefore, we must understand what is shaping the aesthetic specialty of tomorrow and the evolving demands of our patients. Global trend reports talk of the destigmatisation of cosmetic treatments, increased aesthetic fluency and patient knowledge around treatment options, as well as a desire for more natural results.2-4 The reports highlight the march of younger generations who seek age prevention over a cure, a growing diversity amongst patients who want treatments tailored to their skin colour and ethnicity, with gender-inclusive and de-gendered beauty targeting men and LGBTQ+ people now at the forefront of the social zeitgeist.2,3 By embracing trends and implementing changes in your business, you may be able to communicate more effectively with your patients, now and in the future.

Aesthetics for the 2020s Over the past decade, our approach to aesthetics has shifted significantly. We now incorporate more advanced injectable techniques which give more natural results, and use a 360-degree approach of combining skincare, devices and injectables to target what a patient truly needs. Interest in aesthetic treatments amongst consumers has never been greater. Once a hushed topic of conversation, shifting cultural norms mean that modern aesthetic consumers are happy to shout about it from the rooftops. I have noticed that they now have a ‘know-what-they-want’ attitude combined with a heightened understanding of antiageing and rejuvenating products and techniques. The increasingly natural results and the appearance of looking fresher rather than having had aesthetic treatments have made this more socially acceptable. Once all about the ‘Boomers’ – patients are getting younger, but ironically so - this crowd of ‘Millennials’ and the ‘GenZ’, or ‘Zoomers’, who follow them are shaking things up. Below, I outline some of the top global trends which practitioners need to be aware of and implement into their practices.

1. Age prevention GenZ and most millennials are not seeking a cure for ageing – simply because they have not yet aged – but instead they crave prevention and preservation. Finding very subtle signs of ageing (such as early crow’s feet lines or a slight nasolabial fold), they embark on aesthetic treatments in their 20s and 30s. They have money to spend (or will find it) and do not feel self-conscious investing in their appearance – which their parents’ generation might regard as selfish or vain. Thankfully, increased awareness of the power of these treatments through educational social media and expert-led conversations for the readiness of this generation to seek aesthetic procedures makes these treatments more readily available. The key to nurturing and cultivating this spending relationship as your ‘patients-of-the-future’ lies in evolving your communication and the treatments you deliver. Many procedures will be the same (dermal fillers and neurotoxins), but will start with lower doses/volumes or milder device protocols as proactive age prevention, adapting over time to result in increased spending. Global pharmaceutical companies are actively targeting product marketing campaigns at younger, more diverse users.5-8 Practitioners must alter how they communicate, becoming more visually centred in consultations. Discuss and objectively view photographs, explain how their appearance changes with different camera angles, lighting and filters. Photographs can both distort and enhance facial features and anomalies, allowing you to tap into the small details that may be bothering them. Remember, although they are younger with only subtle concerns, it should not raise a flag for body dysmorphia by default, but practitioners should be wary to look out for this in their patients. Society will continue evolving on a visual foundation, with the metaverse tipped as the next iteration of the internet and set to become a huge trend over the coming decade (read more on p.72).3 As a result, future generations will become even more embedded in their virtual selves.

2. Diverse individuality The UK has a diverse, multicultural society. Government figures show that in 2021, 14% of the UK population was from a minority ethnic background.9 Depending on the location of your clinic, it is highly likely that your patient database is equally as diverse, if not more so, and you are seeing more and more patients from different ethnic backgrounds. With diversity comes individuality – we are not all the ‘same’, so we cannot be ‘treated’ the same with generic procedures. It cannot be about treating skin of colour based on the Fitzpatrick scale alone. We must respect ethnic characteristics, facial anatomy and cultural ideals of beauty to ensure that people of all ethnicities are represented and reflected in the aesthetic sector of the future. For example, consider if you highlight diverse case studies in your digital marketing. You can achieve diverse individuality by understanding the unique needs of different ethnicities, creating personalised treatment plans and educating yourself where you lack knowledge in treating a broader spectrum of skin types and face shapes. Look for training courses where anatomical variations are explored and expose yourself to advanced education opportunities, such as at international conferences. Do not be afraid to refer onwards if you fear you will deliver a one-size-fits-all-beauty result; there is less shame in admitting your shortcomings than in ‘Westernising’ an Asian patient, for example.

3. Gender inclusivity Gender identity and gender inclusivity are a hot topic – understanding how others view their gender, accepting those differences and not perpetuating gender stereotypes. Remember this when considering your aesthetic patient; for example, women in their 40s and 50s have historically been the ‘bread and butter’ of an aesthetic clinic. Nowadays, I have noticed that we see many more men as a growth market. Although these cisgender individuals are

the most common visitors, many clinicians are treating an increasing number of non-binary and transgender patients who, thankfully, no longer seek clandestine treatment for fear of discrimination. Modern men are far more comfortable looking after themselves than their fathers and grandfathers, who were content with a bar of Imperial Leather and a splash of Old Spice on special occasions. This new breed has male grooming high on their agenda and spend list. Men want to look good, maintain professionalism and career progression and enjoy new relationships later in life. According to the latest data from the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, men make up 14.3% of the global market for non-invasive procedures, with statistics expected to increase.10 Hence, the demand for male-centred aesthetic treatments is on the rise.11

Marketing campaigns by many dermal filler brands now include men in promotional materials to help you tap into this market. You can also make your clinic environment male-friendly and consider the fact that men might feel uncomfortable in a waiting area full of women or posters aimed at women. Consider using male imagery on your social media to make it clear these treatments and your clinic are a great environment for men. Gender-inclusive beauty means that traditional ideas and assumptions around masculinisation or feminisation are turned on their head. We must adopt a degendered approach to aesthetic treatment to celebrate all the possible ways patients wish to express their identity and gender. For example, the K-Pop culture has created a trend for men to have much softer and less masculine features, whilst some women seek a stronger jawline as an expression of female power. Approach your consultation in a way that does not prejudice the treatment outcome based on the gender you think you see in front of you. Consider if you want to ask your patients for their pronouns on your forms.

4. Aesth-ethics Ethics or aesth-ethics is driving a clean-up in the aesthetic sector. As a medical professional with a background and oath of ‘do no harm’, it upsets me to see the consumer press full of stories about ‘botched’ jobs, thanks to the rise in the number and variety of non-regulated and non-medical practitioners now involved in providing lucrative aesthetic treatments, with little to no oversight or training standards. This results in unnatural patient outcomes and some new words to add to our lexicon – overtreated and overfilled. Of course, we must get our own house in order, including ensuring treatments are always in the best interests of the patient and their mental health, and not only beneficial to our bottom line. Know when you should just say no – when you think your patients’ desires don’t align with what you feel comfortable with, when what they’re asking for is beyond the realms of healthy (in either a physical or psychological way), and also just when your gut is telling you there is something not quite right here. Regulation of the sector has been notoriously poor, but this rose to heady heights following the 2013 Keogh report which appeared to offer unfettered access to treatment delivery and training due to a lack of statutory instruments.12 Times are changing with tighter regulations and registration models on the horizon due to changes promised in the new Health and Social Care Act 2022.13 Review your credentials, ensure your CPD is relevant and updated and consider advanced post-graduate or prescribing qualifications to fit into the future landscape of aesthetics, then we can all distance ourselves from a ‘botched’ world.

5. Patient experience Who doesn’t like to feel loved and nurtured, to be valued, and enjoy a bit of pampering and the odd perk? Hairdressers learnt this some time ago, so you can expect a drink and a head massage alongside your cut and blow-dry. However, many aesthetic practitioners start in small, back-room clinics, perhaps shared premises that do not evoke a luxury experience. Aesthetics is about building relationships, retention and loyalty, but for many patients, treatment is a significant investment, so they expect a relaxed, luxurious experience that complements a holistic, patient-centred approach to individualised treatments to keep them loyal. They are not just buying a syringe of filler; they are buying into a lifestyle. Drive retention by creating great experiences and ensuring your lapsed patients feel special and missed. Focus on each patient’s journey with you making them feel valued and understood from the moment of their first interaction with you, their first consultation visit, to aftercare. Patients want to feel noticed and cared about. Build relationships with them, make notes about their upcoming special events or how they take their coffee, and think about picking up the phone if you’ve not seen them for a while. When they realise they’ve been missed, it often reignites their connection to your business. We can also create spaces that reflect us as clinic owners – trendy, arty, luxury etc. High-end décor and clinic furniture, fresh flowers, music, attention to detail from engaging staff (such as remembering their name and giving them a friendly smile) and complimentary refreshments all add to an elevated experience for your patients before entry into the clinical environment.

Are you ready for modern aesthetics? Times are changing and trends predict a new era for the aesthetic specialty. As clinic owners, we must regularly reflect to optimise communication and engagement with our patients. Consider their age, gender, personality and diversity when creating individualised treatment plans, practise ethically and create enjoyable patient experiences.

Dr Sophie Shotter is an aesthetic doctor with practices in Kent and London. She is a full member and Board Trustee at the British College of Aesthetic Medicine and is a member of the Allergan mentorship programme. Dr Shotter is a key opinion leader for several leading aesthetic companies and is regularly called on to speak and teach. Qual: MBChB, BSc(Hons), PGDip(Hons), PGCert, MBCAM

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