Body shaping, skin tightening to show unprecedented growth

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Body shaping, skin tightening to show unprecedented growth
Nov 1, 2007
Nancy A. Melville
Dermatology Times

National report Û As baby boomers embrace cosmetic procedures and break down social barriers for future generations, the aesthetic industry is poised to boom in the next five years, according to the Global Aesthetic Market research report from Medical Insight.

Total sales of aesthetic equipment, currently estimated at $1.2 billion annually, are expected to increase by 10.3 percent per year, reaching more than $1.9 billion by 2011, according to the report.

Areas expected to lead the industry into unprecedented growth include body shaping and skin tightening, with sales of devices related to those improvements predicted to increase from $231.6 million in 2006 to $564.5 million in global sales by 2011.

"Five years ago, skin tightening and body shaping were pipeline industries, embraced by forward-looking companies seeking to expand market share," says Michael Moretti, president of Medical Insight and editor of the study, in a press statement.

Technologies in body shaping and skin tightening include liposuction and radiofrequency tissue tightening. More than 14 million procedures were performed in these areas in 2006, generating more than $4 billion in practitioner fees, according to the report.

"By 2011, we'll see more than 36 million procedures in these areas, producing over $8 billion in professional fees," Mr. Moretti says. "U.S. fee growth will outpace that of the rest of the world as the U.S continues to support strong demand and high pricing."

Bruce Katz, M.D., director of the Juva Skin & Laser Center in New York, says in terms of the increasing demand for body contouring and skin tightening, the report is right on the money.

"There's definitely an increasing demand for these things," he says. "We have people coming from around the world for our body contouring and skin tightening technique."

The technique, SmartLipo, is the first laser used for liposuction, Dr. Katz says.

"We are using the same laser we used for liposuction for skin tightening."

Topicals still on top

In terms of aesthetic products, the report showed that anti-aging topicals remain the single largest market segment, with sales of all brands in 2006 reaching $6.2 billion, and sales expected to grow to more than $10.4 billion by 2011.

Cosmetic procedures in general Ûincluding fillers, Botox and laser treatments Û are, as a whole, advancing well into mainstream society, says Joel Schlessinger, M.D., director of the Advanced Skin Research Center in Omaha, Neb., and president of the American Society of Cosmetic Dermatology and Aesthetic Surgery.

"It is all part of the trend in baby boomers to migrate to global rejuvenation rather than piecemeal improvements, such as happened in the '90s," he says. "These treatments have become much more mainstream over time, and have achieved a 'comfort level' with patients."

One area that is falling behind, however, is chemical peels. According to the report, peels and microdermabrasion will see slower growth than other modalities, although the areas still will increase from combined sales of $97.1 million in 2006 to $130.1 million in 2011.

The trend has actually been several years in the making, as the shift away from chemical peels dates back to the late 1990s, Dr. Schlessinger says.

"Microdermabrasions were the first procedure to tread on peel's turf, followed by lasers such as CoolTouch and now the fractionated lasers, such as the Palomar 1540 and Fraxel (Reliant)," he says.

"Nonablative lasers have little downtime compared to deeper peels and have much less risk for the physician, as well. But we still have many patients on the glycolic peels and various other peels, so I wouldn't give up on that segment yet," he adds.

These treatments still play an important role in helping patients with melasma or other acne-related issues, Dr. Schlessinger says.

"I especially like the AFA Clay Peel by Biopelle, which acts to improve melasma and other pigmentary concerns. While I can do some of this with lasers, I would be hard-pressed to replicate its results with just a laser," he says.

In terms of specific device features, the report indicates that disposable components for aesthetic devices will give a big boost to manufacturer revenues, with sales of disposables predicted to increase significantly, by 39.7 percent per year, to more than $400.6 million.

But Dr. Schlessinger says he doesn't entirely agree that the cost is worthwhile.

"When I purchased the 1540 laser by Palomar, (not needing disposables) was the prime consideration," he says. "Though I already owned a Fraxel, the disposables were terribly expensive over time and didn't improve the results one bit.

"On the other hand, the Palomar machine did the same job and was less likely to leave me without a laser if my disposables ran out during a procedure. So far, my patients like it better, and results are comparable or better."

While the ever-expanding array of technologies offers new avenues for device-makers to pursue, medspas may represent a big potential market for the devices, Mr. Moretti says.

"The rapid emergence of energy-based technologies and innovative devices are creating new sources of revenue for brands currently in the market, and will pave the way for others to enter the field," he says.

"These modalities will also drive growth in the lucrative nonphysician aesthetic category, including (medspas) and corporate franchises."

But with complication rates rising and some medspa franchises faltering, that's hardly a welcome trend, Dr. Schlessinger notes.

"The problem with this (trend) is the errors and poor delivery of care that occur when non-core cosmetic surgeons perform procedures, sometimes with dire consequences," he says. "We see many that have gone out of business in our area, and there is a sentiment for more regulation on a statewide basis of this category."

The appropriate market for the devices is medical professionals and facilities where medical supervision is practiced with only the highest standards, Dr. Schlessinger says.

"We all hope that this market grows significantly, but we hope that it grows responsibly, as well," he says. "This means that these devices should be placed in responsible facilities, rather than the market that this report imagines to be so 'lucrative.'"

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