Plastic surgery and dermatology practices that incorporate medspa services are becoming increasingly popular. The combination offers patients a convenient, one-stop solution for both medical and cosmetic care. If you’re considering adding aesthetic services to your practice, here are some essential tips to keep in mind to ensure a successful expansion.

1. Understand the Financial Dynamics

While medspa services complement plastic surgery and dermatology offerings, they differ significantly from a financial standpoint. Medspa treatments typically have lower profit margins and higher costs of goods sold (COGS) compared to surgical or dermatological procedures. This means that even when your medspa offerings are highly successful, your total revenue will grow, but your net income margin (net income as a percentage of total revenue) may shrink.

It’s crucial to factor this into your financial planning and adjust your expectations accordingly. A medspa can enhance your overall business, but its financial dynamics require careful management to ensure profitability.

2. Build the Right Team

If you’re a practicing surgeon or dermatologist, your time is likely best spent in the operating room or treating dermatology patients. Your most efficient option will be to hire an experienced team of providers to handle the aesthetics, so you can continue focusing on the high-margin portion of your business.

Consider hiring:

• Nurse injectors with expertise in neurotoxin and dermal fillers.
• Nurse practitioners (NPs) or physician assistants (PAs) trained in advanced aesthetic procedures.
• Licensed aestheticians to perform skin treatments like facials, chemical peels, and laser therapies.

Hiring skilled providers ensures high-quality care and allows you to focus on your primary specialty while still reaping the benefits of offering medspa services.

3. Adapt Your Sales Approach

The client relationship for medspa services is different from that of surgical or dermatology patients. Medspa success depends heavily on repeat business, cross-selling, and upselling. This means fostering long-term relationships with clients and offering complementary products that align with their needs.

For example, a patient coming in for toxin might also benefit from skincare products or laser treatments. Hiring providers with sales experience or training your team on how to present additional services can significantly boost your revenues.

4. Start with Patient-Driven Offerings

Before investing in expensive laser devices or adding a wide range of medspa services, take the time to listen to your patients. They’re already your built-in customer base, so understanding their needs and interests is the best way to tailor your offerings.

Ask your patients:

• Are they interested in injectables like toxins or dermal fillers?
• Would they consider treatments for skin rejuvenation, such as chemical peels or microneedling?
• Are there specific skincare concerns they’d like to address?

By starting with services that are in demand, you can ensure a smoother integration into your practice and avoid unnecessary expenses on equipment or treatments that won’t resonate with your clientele.

Final Thoughts

Adding aesthetic services to your plastic surgery or dermatology practice can enhance patient satisfaction and grow your business, but it requires thoughtful planning. By understanding the financial impact, building the right team, adapting your sales process, and aligning offerings with patient demand, you can set your medspa up for success

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