Why this is your time to enter the field

 

Around the first quarter of 2020, concerns arose within the aesthetic sector regarding the impact of the viral pandemic on its continued practice and growth. Nearly all aesthetic businesses had been affected by the pandemic, with over 81% reporting the closure of their clinics, 67% having experienced a decline in revenue and 63% saying there had been a reduction in the volume of enquiries regarding their services, Hamilton Fraser Cosmetic Insurance reveals.  However, an unexpected rush for cosmetic procedures noticed in the middle of a pandemic, shook down the initial concerns for the aesthetic industry.

Following the ease of the first national lockdown restrictions in the UK, Hamilton Fraser’s survey found that about 82.61% of aesthetic clinics were re-opened even though 88.18% of practitioners continued to work for the NHS and interestingly, regarding clientele, 83.92% reported a return of their existing customers and 33.67% said that they had an increase in the number of new customers.

“I certainly have seen a rise in demand for entering the aesthetics industry following the first lockdown. This is not by chance, taking into account the insurance broker PolicyBee data which reveal that UK searches for aesthetics training courses more than doubled in August 2020 when compared with April 2020’s figures,”  says Dr. Firhaas Tukmachi, Aesthetic Doctor,  Derma Institute Co-Founder and Dermadoc clinic Director.

All over the world, the Covid-19 pandemic has had unprecedented effects, causing social and economic disruptions and posing an existential threat to millions of enterprises. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), almost half of the global workforce stands a risk of losing their livelihoods. With the introduction of lockdown measures to contain the spread of the virus, many individuals not having a means to work, have had their incomes adversely affected. As a result of this, many aesthetic practitioners entertained the fear that not only would people be less able to afford cosmetic treatments but that there’d also be a shift in their priorities post Covid-19. This uncertainty for the future notwithstanding, only a small percentage (28%) of aesthetic business owners admitted to having a contingency plan in place in the event that they’re not able to continue to run their clinics.

“I advise aesthetic practitioners to respond to the crisis in some innovative, and rather humbling, ways. My clinic’s door may be closed but I go digital continuing to offer my patients consultations,” says Dr. Asher Siddiqi, Aesthetic Doctor, Derma Institute Co-Founder and Medical Cosmetics clinic Director.

 

New Challenges for the Aesthetic Sector. Mitigating Measures to emerge stronger

 

Faced with such unexpected and unplanned-for challenges, the aesthetic industry, much like many other business sectors, has had to devise innovative ways to stay in the loop.

One way it has sought to strengthen its customer relationships is by accelerating its use of telemedicine, incorporating digital technology in doctor – patient interactions.

Many cosmetic businesses now use online tools such as video apps for consultations and lead generation, co-branded ads, promotional videos, etc to build loyalty and enhance communication with their clients. This has allowed old and prospective patients to maintain contact with their aesthetic providers and make needed enquiries.

According to the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, UK doctors reported up to 70% increase in the requests for virtual consultations within the lockdown period, with patients continuing to consider treatments they’d be able to receive once the lockdown restrictions were lifted. In the same vein, a recent survey conducted by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons revealed that 64% of its doctors noted a rise in their virtual consultations since the start of viral pandemic.

In addition to this, some clinics rescheduled appointments through phone consultation and others used various welcome offers to entice their patients upon return to their clinics. The survival of some UK aesthetic businesses was also aided by the return of some owners to the NHS, this providing a much needed alternative source of income.

 

The Zoom Boom Effect explained

 

In a bid to work around heavy restrictions while remaining in business, many enterprises have had to shift the bulk of their activities to the digital space. As a result, video calls and conferences via zoom and other similar apps has become more or less a normal part of our lives. But with this has emerged a new trend – the “zoom boom”.

After several months of staring at their own faces, people have started to criticise and analyse their facial features more than usual, akin to the “selfie” effect. In many parts of the world, aesthetic practitioners report a surge in the demand for cosmetic procedures post lockdown.

Save Face, a UK authority that operates a register for aesthetic practitioners, reports a surge of 40% greater traffic to its website since the lockdown in the UK started in March 2020, as more people research treatment options and browse their register to locate practitioners near them.

UK-based aesthetic practitioners report increased interest in non-invasive facial treatments that use botox and dermal fillers to tackle facial wrinkles and fine lines. The demand for neck rejuvenation and jawline contouring has also risen following the increased attention paid to these parts of the body during virtual interactions.

The men aren’t left out either. There’s been a surge in requests for hair transplant procedures as more men seek to have fuller-looking scalp hair.

 

A RISING VOLUME OF ENQUIRIES FROM MEN

 

 

With the ease of the first lockdown, while some clinics saw a rise in the number of younger patients, for some others, it was a greater number of older patients. What is perhaps interesting is the fact that the increased demand for aesthetic treatments is not seen in women alone. Many clinics report a rising volume of enquiries from men especially for hair-related issues.

 

GOING FORWARD

 

What could possibly be the reason for this unexpected rush for cosmetic procedures in the middle of a pandemic?

As the world continues to battle with the Covid-19 pandemic, while there may be areas of uncertainty still, it is apparent that the aesthetic sector has an appeal that will continue to endure.

As humans, we would always desire to look the best version of ourselves and thanks to non-invasive aesthetic procedures such as botox and dermal filler treatments, this is now more within reach, more affordable and with much less concern about side effects.

With the surge in demand for facial aesthetic treatments even in the face of the pandemic, the aesthetic industry’s need for health professionals who have completed botox and dermal filler training is expectedly on the rise.

As the awareness continues to rise on the part of clients regarding the need to only go to certified and licensed practitioners, more health professionals seek to receive adequate botox and dermal filler training by recognised aesthetic training providers to fill this gap.

 

Derma Institute is UK’s leading high quality aesthetic training provider, providing comprehensive aesthetic training to health professionals (Doctors, Dentists, Nurse, Pharmacists, and others), that span a wide range of courses including Botox training and Dermal filler training courses which uniquely feature intensive, practical, hands-on training on live models.

Visit our Botox training and Dermal filler training page for more details.