In Thérapie

We chat to Kate Barry, training manager at Thérapie Clinic, about how body contouring fits into their business model

It’s been a time of rapid growth and expansion for Thérapie Medical Group. Having first opened its doors 20 years ago, the Irish-run family business has become a multi-award winning brand with more than 70 locations across the UK and Ireland and a team of over two hundred experienced doctors on its roster. Founded by siblings Phillip and Katie McGlade, Thérapie has become known as one of the leading European providers of laser hair removal, cosmetic injections, fertility treatments, and laser eye and lens replacement surgeries, reporting revenue of more than €100 million in 2022.

The group opened 23 clinics in 2021 (including the acquired Skinsmiths chain of London clinics) and now employs more than 1,200 people, the vast majority of which are based in Ireland.

Its first clinic in Dublin City Centre remains its flagship Irish clinic to date. This month (March 2023), Thérapie will be expanding into the US market with the opening of a new 2,7000 sq. ft. clinic in New York’s Flatiron district.

In addition, 2022 saw the introduction of its own skincare brand – Skin Theøry – a results driven peptide-based skincare range spanning six individual, active ingredient ‘theøries’: glycolic, salicylic, vitamin C, antioxidant, retinol and peptide.

With such an expansive reach, it’s no surprise that the group has also expanded its services to tap deeper into the ever-growing and technology-driven body side of the market by announcing in 2022 that it would be introducing body sculpting treatments to the portfolio of all five of its Scottish locations.

Kate Barry training manager at Thérapie, says, “We’ve always offered body treatments, we just didn’t offer them to the level that we do now, but we’re constantly growing. If something better comes out on the market, we’ll update what we have. We’ll get the best product in the world, the most recommended, the one that gets the results because that’s what we’re all about. We want to achieve results.”

The clinic is currently working with brands such as CoolSculpting and BTL, and its philosophy for body is to burn fat, build muscle and tighten skin:

• Burn fat and build muscle – EMSCULPT® burns fat while also building muscle. A celebrity favourite, this revolutionary treatment visibly reduces fat by up to 19% while also increasing muscle mass by up to 16%. The device can mimic hours of gym training in a single session. It is great for tightening and defining large muscle groups such as the abdominals, glutes, thighs, and arms. Four to eight treatments are recommended, with 30-minute treatments, twice a week for visible results in just two weeks. The treatment can speed up gaining muscle and losing fat alongside a patient’s fitness activities.

• Sculpt and contour – CoolSculpting® is the number one non-invasive fat-freezing treatment. Treatment is quick and easily tolerated with minimal downtime and excellent results that steadily progress over weeks. It is based on Cryolipolysis, the proven science that effectively freezes stubborn fat cells in targeted areas of the body. Fat cells freeze at higher temperatures than surrounding tissues. The treated fat cells are crystallized and then die. Over time, the body naturally processes the fat and eliminates these dead cells, leaving a more sculpted you within these courses of treatments. Patients can expect a 20-25% fat reduction.

• Tighten and tone – The BTL Exilis Ultra 360 is a radiofrequency treatment that encourages collagen and elastin production with its safe thermal energy delivery and no downtime. The device helps patients achieve more defined body areas by reducing fat bulges and creating smoother and tighter skin by affecting collagen. Most patients describe the sensation during treatment as being comparable to a hot stone massage.

Before After

After 4 treatments

Before After

8 weeks after 2 sessions

Taking on capital equipment is a big decision for any business, but if you have a 70+ strong group of clinics and you want to roll out treatments to multiple sites, those decisions become even more important. “We trial and test a lot of systems, and if something doesn’t work, we get rid of it”, says Kate. “We get a lot of people approaching us with different systems that we can trial and test. We do case studies before we take anything on. We want to make sure our staff are working with the best so that they’re passionate about what they are doing and dealing with happy clients because they’re getting results, and they’re getting something back in return.”

The group has noticed an increased demand for body treatments, and this, Kate believes, is down to an increased desire for people to feel good as well as look good. She stresses it’s important to manage expectations. “Body treatments are huge. It’s so popular because either someone has a wedding or a holiday coming up, and they’re sick and tired of trying to get rid of their mum tum. It’s giving people that solution. There’s no diet out there that can help you spot and reduce an area. There’s no exercise that will spot-reduce an area. But we have equipment that can actually specifically target and spot-reduce those areas.

“It’s not going to replace diet and exercise. And when we are consulting with our clients, first of all, yes, they are amazing treatments, but they’re not going to replace what you’re doing at the moment. They’re not going to be a one-trick pony that you just have to do this, and then you can do whatever you want after that. Our clients need to work with the treatment, combining it with diet and exercise, and it’s going to complement your results.”

So does the group plan to add other body devices to its offering? “We’re always looking ahead to see what would work better”, says Kate. “But at the moment, what we have is working; it’s getting our clients results.”