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When launching a new venture like a med spa, one of the most important considerations is how quickly you can generate a return on investment (ROI) and start making money. Body sculpting (or body contouring) provides the perfect solution to this problem—its ability to get rid of stubborn fat and sagging skin makes it a crowd favorite, allowing it to pay itself off in months and generate profits in no time. Not only that, but repeat business can guarantee a stable revenue stream for your med spa for years.
After a few years of “work from home,” we’re all noticing the effect of pandemic-induced sedentary lifestyles, with a general rise in body weight across the population. With the average person adding about 1.5 lbs per month of lockdown, people are now searching for methods to shed fat quickly and combat excess and stubborn fat.
Traditional surgical liposuction was the only way to reduce and shape your figure effectively for decades. But with the introduction of modern non-surgical body sculpting technologies, those wanting a medical option for a sleeker silhouette no longer need to go under the knife. These innovative approaches provide impressive results in targetted areas resistant to diet and exercise – like around the abdomen, back, and flank.
Last year, non-invasive body contouring treatments soared in popularity due to their impressive results, minimal discomfort, fast recovery time, and high patient satisfaction. Fueled further by the desire for minimally invasive results post-pandemic, body contouring as an industry is anticipated to grow at a remarkable 14.3% per year between 2022 and 2030, offering lots of room for growth for enterprising med spa owners.
Keep reading this article to learn more about non-invasive body sculpting treatments, why they’re so in demand, who can perform the treatment, and the financial benefits of adding body sculpting to your med spa’s offerings. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to stay ahead of the curve and attract more clients to your business.
- Related article: Staying Ahead of the Game: 10 Most Popular Medical Aesthetic Procedures
What is Body Sculpting?
Body sculpting is a blanket term for treatments designed to improve the body’s overall appearance by reducing fat and/or building muscle. There are a variety of body sculpting treatments available, including non-invasive and invasive options. A commonly known invasive body sculpting option is liposuction, a surgical treatment that must be performed by a plastic surgeon.
However, over the past decade, a massive number of non-surgical, minimally invasive body sculpting techniques have come to market. Some popular non-invasive treatments include:
- Cryolipolysis: controlled cooling is used to freeze and eliminate unwanted fat cells. The body then naturally eliminates the dead fat cells over the next few weeks.
- Laser fat reduction: laser energy is used to heat up the fat cells, causing them to break down and be absorbed by the body. The procedure is usually done under local anesthesia, and the patients can go home the same day.
- Injection lipolysis: a special solution, usually Deoxycholic Acid (Kybella), is injected into targeted areas, dissolving fat cells.
- Ultrasound or radiofrequency lipolysis: ultrasound or radiofrequency energy is delivered to targeted tissues, heating fat cells and causing them to break down and be absorbed by the body.
- Red light therapy: red and near-infrared light is applied to the skin, penetrating deep into fat layers. This stimulates the metabolism of fat cells, causing them to break down and be eliminated by the body.
In general, these treatments result in gradual, modest fat loss. They cause minimal discomfort and only take 30 to 60 minutes, with no downtime.
Body sculpting is the go-to tool for achieving a variety of aesthetic changes, including:
- reducing the circumference of different areas of the body, such as the thighs and waist
- improving the body’s silhouette by reducing areas of stubborn fat
- toning and firming muscles
- improving the appearance of cellulite
Body sculpting is ideal for people with stubborn fat pockets that resist exercise and diet. However, it is not a weight loss solution, and most body contouring procedures require a person to have a body mass index (BMI) of less than 30.
What’s the difference between body sculpting and body contouring?
Body sculpting, body contouring, and non-surgical fat reduction treatments are interchangeable terms and mean the same thing. The three terms all refer to the same family of non-invasive procedures that remove extra fat, tighten skin, and shape different body areas.
How long does body sculpting last?
Body sculpting permanently destroys fat cells and yields permanent results for the tissues affected. Thus, results may last for several months, years, or for as long as the person maintains their ideal weight and adopts a healthy lifestyle.
While some clients may immediately see changes in their figures after their first treatment, most patients see results about two to three weeks after treatment. But because body sculpting yields gradual results, some may take a series of treatment sessions to achieve their desired body shape.
Who can administer body sculpting?
Non-surgical body sculpting procedures vary widely in how professionals need to perform them.
In general, licensed and trained aestheticians working under the direct supervision of physicians can perform completely non-invasive procedures like cryolipolysis.
However, injection lipolysis treatments are medical procedures that require medical supervision and administration by a trained medical professional with advanced knowledge of anatomy. These include doctors, registered nurses (RN), nurse practitioners (NPs), and physician assistants (PAs).
Related: Understanding Who Can Open a Med Spa
How profitable is body sculpting as a treatment option?
If you’re starting your own med spa soon and do not plan to add body sculpting to your menu, you’ll miss out on a huge patient base and a significant potential income.
Firstly, over 40% of first-time clients return for repeat procedures and turn into long-term clients. As mentioned above, you’ll need to continue providing these treatments until the person is satisfied with their results.
Secondly, practices that adopted body sculpting procedures as part of their services have seen over 60% rise in their patient base.
Thirdly, it has a relatively quick ROI and, under the right circumstances, can pay off one-third of its cost within a month. As for your potential earnings, let’s say you charge $150 per treatment. If you see two clients per day, you’ll potentially earn $1500 per week and $6000 per month. That’s already $18,000 in three months! Note that this is just with one staff member treating patients; you can multiply your earnings by adding people and machines to your med spa!
In Summary
As the demand for non-invasive body sculpting treatments increases due to the impact of pandemic-induced sedentary lifestyles, the industry is expected to grow by at least 100% over the next decade.
With various non-invasive options available, body sculpting offers your patients the fat reduction results they desire with minimal discomfort and fast recovery times. Investing in this as a treatment option is a wise investment that can yield high returns in the long run.
Starting a new venture includes choosing the best treatments based on ROI and growth potential and considering factors like location, staffing, and marketing. The Moxie team can help you in every step of your journey. Get in touch today to start planning for a successful med spa! Learn More About Moxie and How We Can Help You Open Your Own Med Spa >
*This article is intended to provide a general guide on what professional licenses and conditions are needed to operate a practice or perform certain treatments. This information alone does not authorize, certify, or confer the ability of anyone to perform these treatments, practice outside their scope, or violate the corporate practice of medicine.
While based on currently available information, the rules and policies on scope of practice issues and ownership can, and do, change frequently. Specific training, education, supervision, protocol and regulatory requirements will differ depending on each person's situation in their state. Therefore, each person must examine their own professional situation, skill level, regulating board guidance, and scope of practice before proceeding.
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