Is your aesthetician your MVP?

Is your aesthetician your MVP? If not, find out how you can grow your business by simply changing your batting lineup.  As most medical spa owners have learned, employing an aesthetician can be a difficult and challenging task.  I, myself, have on several occasions heard and witnessed less than professional personality traits exhibited by my aesthetician colleagues.  Gossiping about coworkers, complaining about pay, and unhappy with scheduled hours these complaints can reverberate loudly from the staff lounge.

You are probably asking yourself, how could that person ever be my MVP and why would I want them to be.  Operating a successful medical spa can be nearly impossible without an aesthetician amongst your team.  If you take a moment and reflect on who an aesthetician really is, you will gain much insight and be able to truly unleash their abilities.  And once engaged, they will become one of your most valuable players.  

Who is the average aesthetician? The average aesthetician is about 24 years old, and other than their aesthetician certification hold no other degrees or licenses. According to ZipRecruiter as of March 2018, aestheticians earn $16.38 an hour and an average of $39,000 per year once commissions and tips are factored in.  So basically, they are young, earn just over minimum wage and have on average 18 months of vocational training.

A large percentage of aestheticians tend to leave the field in their first two years due to dissatisfaction with pay and benefits, difficulty finding consistent employment, and an unrealistic expectation of their roles in the marketplace.  So, they leave the profession they chose within two years.  

Conduct a little research on aesthetician satisfaction in the workplace and you will see most aestheticians are given varying schedules from week to week and oftentimes get same-day notice of shortened or eliminated working hours.  Their job security as well as take home pay is always in question.  Engage in conversation with one or two aestheticians and you will find very common theme of insecurity.

Imagine as physicians the reality that aestheticians live in and you will be able to focus your efforts on actively engaging them within your practice.  Aestheticians have a key role in our arena and should be the backbone of your office.  Who better to be your ambassador for skin care than the person who chose this career and possess the skills, passion and dedication to improving your customer’s skin.

Understanding their background and possible baggage brought over from previous employers is the first step.  The next step is providing security, security in their position, affirmation of their impact on patient retention, and assuring their shifts are as consistent as possible.   

And finally, educate and continue to educate them.  Most aestheticians cannot afford ongoing education and tend to use social media to increase their knowledge base.  As providers, you possess the medical and aesthetic knowledge to grow your team’s ability internally. But, there are many ways to continue educating your team: bring them in during medical services to assist you, have them join you for conferences and conventions, ask them to research new skin care lines and report back to the team.

The concept is simple and applies to all personal and business relationships.  Beyond Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, when someone feels valuable their loyalty will bloom as will their desire to help you and your business bloom.  Not only will you find overall sales improving, but you will see many of your customers transition from microdermabrasion to lasers and injectables.  They will become an extension of you, your sales approach, and your practice.
 

Retail Products Expiring on The Shelf?

Make sure you're not losing money or damaging your patient experience with expiring products.

Have some products edging up to their expiration date? You're not alone.  If you are not sure what to do with them or how to recover the expense keep reading.  We have all at one time or another dealt with slower than expected retail sales and the subsequent back stock of expired products in our storage rooms.  But there are simple solutions to get you back in the black.

Expired products cannot be sold to patients, nor should be housed in exam rooms, lobbies, or common areas.  Do not throw those products away, you have options.  Reach out to your assigned sales representative, they want to keep your business and a good sales rep will do everything to keep you happy.  Depending on the skin care company, sales reps are given car stock to engage new customers.  Many reps will be able to sub out some of their car stock for your expired products.  They can also reach out to their regional managers for additional support, or worst case the company as a whole may buy back the products with a restocking fee.  Another option for expired products is to offer them at deep discounts to your staff or create simple staff contests awarding them with product.

If your products have not yet expired but are getting close you have more options in offloading the overstock.  Cleansers, sunscreens, and moisturizers can all be placed in your backbar for facials, peels, microdermabrasion or microneedling.  Use them in treatments that are bringing in revenue.  If you have 3 months or greater before they expire, promote a simple “Gift with Purchase” to your existing customers.  Purchase an IPL package and receive a free sunscreen or free retinol with chemical peel series.  Finally, if you find your practice is not happy with a skin care line and are looking to bring in a new line.  Many skin care companies will offer competitor buy backs with your opening order.  Just remember keep your opening orders as small as possible with as few SKU’s as possible.

Now that you have options for those products, here are a few tips to avoid repeating the past. When you get a new shipment of products in, have your staff check expiration dates on arrival. If you have less than 18 months to expiration, send the products back.  Most sunscreens and anti-aging products have a 2 year shelf life.  Make sure your practice gets full advantage of those 24 months.  Check your sales history before ordering and order as small a quantity as possible, no need to keep a stockroom full of products.  Well, unless it’s Aquaphor, that stuff lasts forever.

Reduce Complications after Laser Treatments with This Simple Assessment

Skin Hydration, a simple but often overlooked assessment in preventing complications after laser treatments. We are all accustom to screening for sun exposure, use of topical agents, and medication history prior to administering a laser treatment.  But we often overlook assessing for skin hydration. Lasers target specific cromophores (Melanin, Hemoglobin, and water) and deposit heat energy. Dehydrated skin will respond very differently to a set energy level than hydrated skin.  As skin tolerance is reduced likelihood of prolonged redness, small burns, and infection increase.

Conduct a simple physical assessment focused on temperature turgor and moisture level; take a quick patient history of hydration status including level of alcohol and caffeine intake. And finally, if you have a Wood’s lamp handy a quick view will provide a confirmation of your assessment.

If you find the patient is dehydrated be conservative with your energy settings. Dehydrated skin will be more sensitive and healing time will increase. Pay special attention to ablative lasers that primarily target water, you may even consider postponing their treatment until their skin hydration improves.
  
Educate your patient on hydration health, products to improve transepidermal water loss (TEWL), use of humidifiers in the home, etc.  Their skin will thank you as and their outcomes will be more predictable and effective.