A trend towards not only a natural but a more normal aesthetic is emerging more extensively across wider demographics. I have been involved in many consumer research studies over the years and we know that certain countries, ages and socioeconomic groups prefer a more natural appearance and seek aesthetic treatment for positive ageing rather than anti-ageing. With the boom of social media over the last 7 years this has contributed to beautification and glamourisation trends, particularly in the millennial markets. Whilst this remains highly influential, with the increasing focus on health and wellbeing it seems there is more movement away from the extreme outcomes. Good news for many of the patients who have felt under high pressure to conform to some of the skewed societal standards.
Integrating active ingredient formulation through topical skincare with injectables, devices and nutritional support is hotter than ever. I have a large focus on wellbeing in both my Cheshire and London clinics and our patients are becoming even more considered and well researched as to the active ingredients their skin may require. By further educating them on at-home regimens they can achieve better outcomes from in clinic procedures alone.
The drive for superior results continues to be paired with the request for reduced recovery. From a skin perspective, many patients want high impact results with virtually no downtime. Choosing skincare topicals that have statistically significant efficacy as well as a low downtime profile drives continued compliance and therefore synergistically assists to meet the patient expectations. I’ll be discussing all of these trends further in my talk at CCR.
I have had so many amazing experiences from lab to launch over the last 16 years in my consultancy work for clinical product development and clinical trial advisory roles. Whilst the consumer market is always excited for what’s new and next, like many of my colleagues I take a thoughtful approach with the most important elements of any product being safety, efficacy and scientific evidence before introducing a product into my practice.
Skincare innovations and the nutritional and psychological status of the patient continues to fascinate me. As a thought leader for SkinCeuticals I enjoy working with the company from a scientific development perspective. Stand out products for me this year in my practice have been those improving oily skin types such as Silymarin CF and Oil Shield UV Defense. The new launch of Advanced Scar Control will be one to watch as an adjunct to clinical practise.
An assumption may be made that aesthetic medicine can be a rather simplified subject. It would be easy to stay in clinic and suppose that a pinnacle of knowledge or experience had been reached, or that patient needs can be simply met. However, the developmental opportunities in the field are extensive – for example in the physiology and the science of ageing and beauty, from technical, theoretical and practical perspectives.
I feel very fortunate to have travelled 6 continents in the last 12 years speaking and live demonstrating at congress and delivering masterclasses. I have learned so much from this experience in terms of diversity and cultural influences as well as scientific approaches with artistic application. This is what excites me – the opportunity for innovation and shaping this relatively young speciality, whilst most importantly, understanding diverse patient motivations and drivers.
I’ll be speaking at the In Practice Theatre at 1.45-2.15pm on Thurs 14th October. The title of my talk is “Next level skincare integration – aligning patient motivations and procedure trends in practice”.
I’ll explore patient motivations of different patient demographics as well as trends in skincare and injectables. Assessing patient groups and diversity from a multifaceted lens – ethnicity, gender, culture and psychological, as well as the social drivers that influence consumer insights helps us to understand patients better and therefore raise our standards. I’ll consider how to integrate these elements more specifically through the synergy of injectables and skincare for enhanced patient outcomes to build a thriving practice as well as sharing my experience with the SkinCeuticals portfolio.
Seeing friends and colleagues again in person! I’ve been digitally speaking at a lot of events during the pandemic which has been fantastic and I’ve developed new skills through the experience. But in person congress is so powerful for connecting and sharing ideas. That is the other element I’m looking forward to – absorbing and contributing to new idea creation.
Firstly, ask yourself the question as to why you are truly interested in the speciality? What is it about the work and industry that inspires you and what in your personality will suit this? It has been such a rapidly expanding arena in the last 10 years and there are many attractive elements to it, but most importantly I think its crucial to understand ourselves and be honest about our own motivations. This would be true of any career advice in my opinion.
Don’t compromise your core beliefs, keep learning, cultivate an open mindset, retain scientific discernment and consistently aim for delivering your highest standard of patient care and outcomes.