INDUSTRY NEWS

National survey published on botulinum toxin complications

The Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners (JCCP), British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) and University College London (UCL) have collaborated to identify the extent of the challenge faced by members of the public in the cosmetic sector.

The survey looks to capture a range of impacts of complications of botulinum toxin injections and contribute to building a scientific evidence base to inform safer evidence-based practice. The collaboration formalises a partnership which has extended over several years.

Created by a cross-disciplinary team including researchers, psychologists, clinicians and patient representatives, the survey has the primary aim of capturing individual consumer experiences following the receipt of botulinum toxin injections. If patients have had a challenging experience that they wish to share, this survey will provide the platform for them to do so. It is hoped that this information will give a better understanding of the types of difficulties that members of the public may have experienced.

This is particularly timely, as the highly anticipated government public consultation on the design of a new licence for non-surgical cosmetic practice in England is set to be launched by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) in the spring. It is hoped that the data collected from this survey will inform the public consultation and assist the UK Government in its endeavour to introduce statutory regulation for the aesthetic and non-surgical cosmetic industry.

“Collaborating with BAAPS and the JCCP will bring together expertise which can help to shape best practice, and as a first step, we are looking to capture the patient experience,” said Dr David Zargaran, lead researcher at UCL. “Our previous research has already highlighted how important a robust evidence base is in ensuring patient safety. This project will build on our previous work, and I am looking forward to continuing to evaluate the true public health impact of the aesthetic injectables market.”

Prof David Sines CBE, the chair of the JCCP concluded: “The JCCP is committed to encouraging collection of objective empirical data to assist in the construction of a robust and reliable evidence base upon which responsive systems of clinical governance and national oversight can be based for the aesthetic sector in the UK. The JCCP is actively supporting and promoting this research study.”

Two-thirds of Brits are unaware if their beauty therapist is trained

A nationwide study has found a worrying information gap when it comes to the qualifications of those performing beauty treatments.

Recent research of 1,000 female beauty consumers by Salon Rated found nearly two-thirds of British consumers didn’t know if their beauty professional was insured or even trained (59%).

Moreover, 60% confessed they did not know how to do background checks on a salon. Some 75% admitted they didn’t even know the beauty industry was unregulated too.

That’s despite 64% of those surveyed reporting they’d had a bad experience at a hair or beauty salon and the 63% who indicated they regularly visited a salon, one to two times a month.

The issue also extended beyond the beauty therapists themselves. Of those surveyed, 63% had never asked what products their beauty professional was using and 42% received no aftercare advice posttreatment.

The findings once again highlight the risks associated with the beauty industry’s lack of regulation and suggest changes need to be made to ensure customer safety and awareness.

This suggests that individuals willing to exploit the current lack of legislation in the UK could easily establish themselves as practitioners with no qualifications or even training. This could lead to devastating consequences for clients.

The rise of social media-based recommendations is compounding the issue, with 87% of those surveyed turning to Instagram for inspiration and 48% relying on word-of-mouth feedback. These methods lead to customers assuming, rightly orwrongly, that the advertised individual is qualified.

“It’s easy to see how people make assumptions around qualifications in the beauty industry as so many are unaware of the lack of regulations,” says the founder of Salon Rated and Navy Professional, Rebecca Crawforth. The study was conducted as part of the launch of Salon Rated, a new platform to help consumers in the UK find professional, legitimate, and qualified hair and beauty services.

“This research shows the immediate need for more regulation and that’s why we’ve created a place where you can find compliant and insured beauty salons, that offer a legitimate service, safe treatments and professional etiquette,” Crawforth continues. “We want to help consumers to have peace of mind that they are in safe hands whilst attending their appointment, as client care and safety should be paramount when performing treatments.”

BABTAC reveals effect of cost-of-living crisis on beauty industry

As the cost-of-living crisis continues, new research by the British Association of Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology (BABTAC) has found that salon owners are facing rapid and unsustainable rises in utility rates.

From water costs to electricity prices, over 93% of the salon owners spoken to by BABTAC reported a considerable increase in their bills over the past year.

Approaching half (44%) of the BABTAC members surveyed had seen a 50% increase in utility rates, while 40% reported a 100% increase. One in ten acknowledged they could be facing a 200% increase year-on-year, placing many businesses at risk of closure.

“The cost-of-living crisis and rise in energy prices is of course a huge concern for many beauty businesses,” explains chief executive of BABTAC, Lesley Blair. “Although some initial government support has been provided, the hike in bills is just another blow to those who have already had to contend with the negative impact of the pandemic, estimated to be an average financial loss of £11,603.”

For some beauty businesses, even attempting to change providers is proving challenging: “The difficultly we experienced was that there were very few [energy] companies that wanted to supply us,” reveals the owner of Lily’s Beauty Salon, Gemma Holt. “One company even agreed on a price, only to later say they could not, due to the fact we are a beauty salon and therefore were considered too high risk!”

Other struggles acknowledged by BABTAC include lastminute appointment cancellations caused by rail strikes and difficulties replenishing essential supplies due to postal disputes. As such, many beauty businesses have already made the difficult decision to increase treatment prices or decrease payroll, resulting in job losses.

Moreover, a broader decrease in consumer spending, caused by the cost-of-living crisis, is compounding the issue as, even regular clients, reconsider the cost of their beauty treatments. There are also increasing safety concerns as customers look to save money via unregulated treatments.

While the outlook appears uncertain beauty business owners should take the opportunity to build trust with their clientele through open conversations around price changes and a celebration of their staff’s expertise and safety procedures. BABTAC is also urging consumers to support gift voucher schemes, which could be used to promote future trips to beauty businesses.

Global body contouring devices market to reach £10.4bn by 2027

The body contouring devices market will have a compound annual growth rate (CAGR)of 14% until 2027, according to new research.

Due to the large ageing population and advanced procedure launches, demand for treatments is rising and the global market is expanding, the report by Arizton continued. At present, microneedling and skin tightening treatments are some of the medical aesthetic treatments with the highest global demand.

Around 8.7% of extra revenue was generated annually by all global fitness facilities in 2022, before August. This market growth is expected to contribute to the long-term development of other fitnessrelated products and services, with the increased interest in fitness driving the growth of the global body contouring devices market. Various companies are developing innovative body toning machines that are light and handy. The development of muscle-building and toning machines is expected to create huge growth opportunities for the global body contouring devices market.

Key driving factors in the body contouring devices market: •  Growing demand for minimally or non-invasive procedures

•  Growing improvement in economic environment, aesthetic accessibility, and expanded practitioner base

•  Rising obesity worldwide and a growing interest in a youthful and fit body

•  Reductions in cost per aesthetic procedure ط Wide acceptance of aesthetic procedures and increased focus on body image and appearance

•  Ageing demographics of industrialised countries.

Can Covid-19 affect the efficacy of botulinum toxin?

After multiple anecdotal but widespread reports of decreased toxin longevity and patient dissatisfaction, a new study has indicated that botulinum toxin’s effectiveness can be affected after Covid-19 vaccines.

Published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, the research was conducted specifically on the influence of the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine and its impact on the safety and efficacy of botulinum toxin type A injections.

The retrospective cohort study followed forty-five patients, with a mean age of 48.3 years, 40 of whom were women. It analysed the effectiveness of BTA treatments before and after two doses of the BNT162b2 vaccine. The findings revealed that the average interval required between BTA injections was significantly shorter post-vaccination, suggesting efficacy had been impaired.

Significantly, the study is notably small, meaning larger-scale research still needs to be conducted to ensure the best efficiency for patients going forward.

Candela opens new office in Ireland

Supplier of energy-based devices, Candela, has announced a new office space in Ireland. Based in Naas, County Kildare, Candela’s new location officially opened in late December 2022. The space marks the first time the business has had an branch in the Republic of Ireland.

The Irish office will offera base to members of the Candela sales, clinical, marketing and service department teams and allow further opportunities for the company to host customer visits, training on its devices and workshops in 2023. The business already has offices in multiple mainland European locations, as well as in England, Hong Kong,Australia and the United States.

Peter Atkin announced as chief operating officer for HGI Appoint

The exclusive distributor for iS Clinical Cosmeceuticals, Déesse and Totally Derma, Harpar Grace International (HGI) has announced a new chief operating officer. Peter Atkin joins HGI to support operations for the company’s next phase of international growth.

That includes the launch of cosmeceutical brand iS Clinical in the Caribbean and building the global infrastructure for Déesse PRO LED Light therapy. In his new role, Atkin will work alongside the founder of HGI, Alana Marie Chalmers. HGI’s new chief operating officer has over twenty years of experience in both the public and private sectors, across a wide range of industries around the world. He specialises in a data-first approach, with experience in operations, business delivery, and project success.

“Our strong and continued delivery of success, which is my goal, will provide the foundation for our future plans,” said Atkin. “I am determined that through my insightful leadership, our wonderful portfolio of brands, and of course, the team here at Harpar Grace International, we will deliver benefit to our clients.”

Wellness Access Institute launches to support global wellness industry

With the global health and wellness industry currently £1.2 trillion and growing at a projected rate of 5-10% per year, the global Wellness Access Institute (WAI) has been established.

Established by Greg Macpherson and Warren Liu, WAI aims to position itself as the leading authority and innovation accelerator in the wellness industry: predicting the future of the sector, educating consumers on the science, addressing the trust deficit, and tackling issues with supply chain quality and speed to market for products. It also hopes to set up an independent, non-profit industry body to serve the broader industry.

“WAI aims to enforce, advance and advocate the wellness movement to benefit the health of the human race,” said Liu. “It’s no longer just businessmen and scientists trying to create new products to sell. It’s an open dialogue and vision setting agenda involving people at every stage of the journey and starts with making knowledge on the primary factors for wellness accessible to all.”

Revanesse by Prollenium unveils consumer-focused brand website

Revanesse by Prollenium has launched a B2C website, using real case studies, as opposed to photographic models and stock photography, to showcase the dermal filler product’s capabilities. Designed to promote real-life, impressive, attainable results whilst educating about the product’s safety profile, efficacy and clinical claims and data, Revanesse.co.uk is an easy-to-navigate, design-led digital hub.

“With an ever-expanding family of Revanesse users all over the UK, we feel it is the right time to communicate our message to patients directly, giving them a suitable level of information and real-life case studies to help them make an informed decision about treatment,“ said Katie Bennett, head of marketing for Prollenium.

Alumier MD announces new chief executive to lead expansion

Manufacturer of professionally dispensed skincare formulations AlumierMD has announced Daniel Hopkins as chief executive.

Hopkins, who has over a decade of experience in the aesthetic sector, will take AlumierMD’s commitment to the global aesthetic community through its next phase of growth. Hopkins previously held several roles in Allergan’s commercial functions, as well as supporting the strategic development of services in the EMEA and APAC regions at the International Business Consulting group. Hopkins joined AlumierMD four years ago as managing director for its European operations, during which time the company saw revenue growth and territorial expansion.

“We are incredibly proud ofwhat we have been able to achieve at AlumierMD in a relatively short period,” commented Hopkins. “Our continued commitment to protecting and growing the skincare revenues of aesthetic practices sits firmly at the centre of every action that we take as a business, and I am both very proud and excited to lead an incredible group of innovators to empower our sector, creating exceptional patient outcomes at every step of the journey”.