We take a look back at the biggest stories in aesthetics in 2018

2018 was another year of growth for the aesthetics sector with more and more people entering the market and yet more new products and technologies being launched. With this growth comes both increased business opportunities and increased challenges in terms of regulation. As we move into 2019, we look back on some of the biggest trends issues to impact the aesthetics market over the past 12 months. 

Market growth 

The market continued to see growth in a plethora of areas with new trends emerging including the popularity of procedures among the younger generations and men. 

In January we reported that the Global Scar Treatment Market was registering a healthy CAGR progress of 7.6% and in February the results of the annual BAAPS audit revealed a gender divide in surgery preferences. 

Across the pond, the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) highlighted that selfies were having a major impact on cosmetic surgery and aesthetic trends, with 55% of facial plastic surgeons saying patients wanted to look better in selfies, up 13% from 2016. New data released by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) showed continued growth in cosmetic procedures and, in particular, non-surgical body shaping, while the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery(ASAPS) said that many modern cosmetic surgical procedures were on the rise, and that surgical procedures accounted for 77% of all surveyed physicians’ business.

Globally, Asia was highlighted as the fastest growing market in March, while closer to home market analyst Mintel announced data that showed 31% of Brits are interested in having cosmetic surgery in the future. 

In August it was reported that Britain’s women spend £1.15 billion on facial skincare while in October a report was released showing the global beauty and anti-ageing market was worth £829bn. 

In November, a new report by Mintel claimed that having a hair-free body has grown in popularity among young British males, with 46% now opting for hair-removal treatments, compared to 36% in 2016. 

In December The International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS) released the results of their annual Global Aesthetic Survey for procedures completed in 2017, which showed an overall increase of 5% in surgical cosmetic procedures within the past 12 months and the UK cosmetics market was highlighted as the third largest in Europe, at €11.1 billion. 

The young market

2018 saw a trend for younger patients with reports showing that both millennials and Generation Z were showing increasing interest in procedures and driving growth in the market. 

In April we reported that Millennials are more open to the idea of undergoing a cosmetic procedure than the older generation but credentials, price, and accessibility are their top considerations.

In August Mintel's team of global beauty and personal care analysts developed an acronym to identify this new generation of beauty consumers: aged 16-20, as "Approaching adulthood, Video driven, Influencer aware and Digital natives", or 'AVID’. 

In September statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) highlighted that a growing number of teenagers are undergoing plastic surgery to alter their appearance.  

In November RealSelf UK claimed that interest in medical aesthetic treatments was on the rise in the UK, with millennials driving the growth. 

 

Environmental trends 

The beauty and aesthetics industries were quick to realise their part in reducing global plastic pollution, springing into action as the issue moved to the fore of social consciousness in 2018.

We started the year with a report that the long-awaited ban on the use of plastic microbeads in cosmetic products came into force in a move to reduce plastic pollution in oceans and waterways. 

In May, the Government included wet wipes in its pledge to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste, beginning by working with manufacturers to develop plastic-free versions and make sure customers know how to dispose of them properly rather than flushing them with BCAM pledging its support. 

Towards the end of the year, the Government announced a consultation to ban plastic-stemmed cotton buds among other single-use plastic items, another part of its 25-year Environment Plan.  

Environmentalism and animal welfare concerns also drove an increasing move towards veganism in 2018. As veganism influenced consumers across the country, cosmetics free from animal byproducts emerged as a key driver in the growth of the prestige beauty sector, according to market analyst The NPD Group.

The total market for natural prestige beauty products was valued at £124 million in 2018, while interest in vegan products also sparked a boom in “vegan beauty” pins on Pinterest in the past year, with a 281% increase in searches since 2017. Salons followed suit, shouting about their vegan product and treatment options through marketing, while others established themselves as 100% vegan businesses.

And with 3.5 million vegans now in the UK, the trend shows no signs of slowing down. However, studies have begun to emerge that suggest diet and lifestyle trends such as veganism could be responsible for nutrient deficiencies in young women, so clinics with vegan credentials may need to prepare to address potential backlash against the lifestyle choice.

The regulation debate continued 

Regulation continued to be high up on everyone’s agenda in 2018 and with growing controversy around who should and should not be injecting, in January Hamilton Fraser Cosmetic Insurance issued a statement clarifying its position over the provision of insurance for non-medics providing injectables treatments, saying it would not provide coverage, while February saw Industry Qualifications announce that dental hygienists, dental therapists and paramedics would be formally recognised in its Level 7 Certificate. 

In March the much-anticipated JCCP registers went live and the media interest in the market continued with Save Face collaborating with BBC Three on 'Ellie Undercover: The Botox Bust' and Radio 4 hosting a debate about the launch of the JCCP. 

The JCCP continued to hit the regulatory headlines that month when it received its charitable status with its Professional Standards Authority (PSA) Status announced the following month. 

In April Save Face launched a new initiative to encourage both patients and practitioners to record negative experiences while in May a new medical aesthetic organisation – the British Association of Aesthetic Nurses, Doctors and Dentists (BAANDD) – was formed to oppose the JCCP's decision to allow non-medics, such as beauty therapists, to join its registers. Meanwhile in Scotland, Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) confirmed that aesthetic nurses who own HIS-registered clinics can now legally stock prescription-only medications (POMs) on their premises. 

The industry also hit the national headlines once again when bogus doctor Ozan Melin was convicted and later jailed for inflicting grievous bodily harm (GBH) after administering a substance he claimed to be botulinum toxin to two women. 

That same month Safety in Beauty founder Antonia Mariconda met with Prime Minister Teresa May to discuss regulation and patient safety in the sector. 

In July Harley Academy announced the launch of new qualifications at Levels 4-7 in skin rejuvenation for aesthetic medicine while in August the JCCP announced it was removing beauty therapists from its registers for injectables following significant backlash from medics. 

The injectables storm continued that month with the focus moving to the ethics of performing these procedures on the high street when Superdrug made Botox and filler treatments available to its customers with its Skin Renew Service, launched in partnership with Allergan.

The Royal College of Surgeons (RCA) and the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS) among others raised concerns over a high street health and beauty retailer offering in-store injectable treatments following the news. 

With a lot of focus on beauty therapists injecting, in August The Mail on Sunday was forced to print an apology to a beauty therapist after it called her a “rogue beautician” and a “cosmetic cowboy”.

In September we reported on a study analysing the worrying trend for DIY Botox and dermal filler kits and a Rutgers study highlighted YouTube as a “source of misinformation on plastic surgery". In November Save Face A rise in the popularity of lip fillers is driving the number of official complaints about non-surgical procedures.

The autumn also saw the JCCP make more progress announcing its committee members in September and announcing its Competency Framework, which replaced the Health Education England training recommendations in October as well as endorsing the Industry Qualifications (IQ) Level 7 Certificate in Injectables for Aesthetic Medicine.

In November IQV announced that for the first time an ISO standard (internationally recognised standards ensuring products and services and safe and reliable) will be used for professional certification within the aesthetics sector while the JCCP announced the appointment of new trustees.

The autumn also saw big announcements from industry associations with the British College of Aesthetic Medicine (BCAM) announcing in October that doctors or dentists who want to become full members may be required to sit exams from October 2019 and the British Association of Cosmetic Nurses announced a number of new initiatives at its annual meeting, including the establishment of the BACN Church Pharmacy Bursary Fund for members, and a 12-month project to develop a new competency framework for the Specialist Aesthetic Nurse Career Profile and BAAPS appointed a new president, Mr Paul Harris, who said he was keen to help promote patient safety as part of his role.  

But it wasn't just injectables that hit the headlines in 2018 when it comes to regulation and safety, it was devices and body treatments too. In July the FDA issued a warning over the safety of vaginal rejuvenation devices while butt lifts became another focus of concern in August when the Inter-Society Gluteal Fat Grafting Task Force issued a warning to patients and practitioners about the risks associated with gluteal fat grafting. Following the death of a British woman travelling abroad for a Brazilian Butt Lift, BAAPS decided to advise their members against performing the procedure the following month.  

As the year drew to a close the Breast and Cosmetic Implant Registry published its first report and the JCCP announced that it had signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) with keys organisations in the aesthetics, dental and medical sectors as it moves forward with its plans to tighten up standards of practice in the industry.