What's an Aesthetics Kit?

Author

Dr. Stephen Cosentino

The popularity of minimally invasive cosmetic treatments like Botox® and dermal filler injections continues to soar.

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons’ 2018 Plastic Surgery Statistics Report, patients sought some 7.4 million botulinum toxin treatments and 2.6 million soft tissue filler treatments that year. Chemical peel and laser hair removal treatments crossed the million-mark in 2018 as well.

Opportunity clearly abounds for new and existing aesthetics practices. But there are no guarantees in this business. Providers most likely to thrive in this growing market are those that invest in high-quality training — training that starts with a comprehensive aesthetics kit for cosmetic practices.

What’s in an Aesthetics Kit?

The best aesthetics practice kits have multiple components covering practice management, marketing, and regulation. They may also include basic instruction in common cosmetic procedures to supplement — but not replace — hands-on training.

Pricing and Packaging Guide

Your aesthetics kit should include a detailed pricing and packaging guide for common body and facial aesthetic treatments. This should cover:

How to promote specific procedures, such as Botox and filler injections
How to bundle (package) procedures to make them more appealing to prospective patients
How to price a la carte procedures and multi-treatment packages
How to market new and existing procedures to current and prospective patients

Front Office Operation Manual

Your aesthetics kit should cover basic front office operation procedures. This part of the package discusses:

Training front office staff to provide excellent customer service
Integrating front office staff into practice marketing and development
Best practices for patient follow-up and retention
The clerical aspects of aesthetics practices, including forms and regulatory compliance (see below)
Other aspects of day-to-day practice management, such as answering phones and inputting patient information

Standard Operating Procedures for Your Practice

This module should provide scalable guidance around practice operation — both the business and technical side of the equation. While every practice is different, having clear SOPs in place reduces the risk of mistakes and keeps the practice operating at its full potential.

Consent Forms and Other Practice Documentation

Finally, your aesthetics kit should contain printable examples of all of the common forms patients and providers might encounter. These include but aren’t limited to:

Medical history
Informed consent
Treatment protocols
Patient records
Pre- and post-treatment instructions
Authorized personnel
Patient satisfaction questionnaire
Procedural certifications
Safety certifications

Set Your Practice Up for Success

With your starter kit in hand, your aesthetic practice is in a much stronger position than before. You’ll know the ins and outs of running a successful enterprise, the basics of popular aesthetic treatments, and the boring but critical legal and regulatory issues that bind cosmetic providers.

Of course, you can’t perform in-demand aesthetic treatments with know-how alone. You’ll need the proper tools, equipment, medications, and supplies too.

Consult your aesthetic starter kit for guidance on the items you need to procure, where to source them, and best practices for maintaining adequate stock. Consider enrolling in relevant aesthetics training programs as well, looking for accredited online or in-person courses in your area. There’s no substitute for hands-on training, after all.