IMCAS TRIBUNE coordinator, Director of Corporate Communication and Alliances at Symatese.
A market that is still growing but is rapidly changing!
Anti Age Magazine: Are we still talking in terms of growth?
Laurent Brones: At the IMCAS congress that was recently held in Paris, which attracted more than 20,000 participants, the manufacturers reviewed the global medical aesthetics market, which has maintained its healthy 7% growth and is due to do so until 2029, even though the main segments are not performing as well as in recent years. Lasers, for example, have gone from 6% to 5% growth, injectables from 8 to 7%. This decrease is partly connected with a drop in price but compensated by an increased sales volume. Fillers, for example, are cheaper but sales are going up. Biostimulators and skinboosters are increasing both in price and in volume. The laboratories are counting on growth taking off again in 2025 after a tricky year in 2024. Similarly, 93% of patients are planning to maintain or increase the number of procedures they undergo in 2025. Modest-sised practices (between 2 and 10 doctors) are doing better, with more than 19% growth, whereas larger businesses recorded 14% growth.
AAM: What are the main trends in terms of the macro-economy?
L.B: We detected five main trends, such as the breakthrough of obesity-fighting medicines containing GLP-1, which leads to a demand, namely for post-weight-loss treatments such as skin firming, resurfacing, facial injections and body reshaping. There is also plenty of interest in combined procedures, with patients focusing more on health than beauty and, at industry level, the consolidation of the sector and increased patient trust in established brands. 2024 was a year of adjustment for this market: procedures became more widely accepted; technologies integrating artificial intelligence became more widespread; there was an upsurge in social media and new products such as botulinum toxins, tissue inducers, GLP-1 and cell renewal. We also had to better understand the new patient demands, conform to an evolving regulatory environment, especially in Europe, and develop new ways of marketing our offer (social media, AI, sales points, etc.).
AAM: What do manufacturers have to do to stay in the game?
L.B: Data is very important. They need to invest in this sector to gain visibility and better understand the patients’ expectations (namely with artificial intelligence). They need to expand their product portfolio to offer combined procedures but also branch out into other market segments: weight loss, hair loss, longevity, women’s health.
AAM: And the French market?
L.B: The demands for aesthetic dermatology are increasing. We estimate that around 15% of women currently have treatments and around 2 French women in 10 envisage doing so in 2025. This data was collected from 5,300 women, 803 of whom had already had an aesthetic medicine procedure. The motivations are varied: self-confidence, preventing the signs of aging with procedures such as peels, hair removal or fillers. The high demand is due to a loss of firmness, elasticity, wrinkles and dehydrated skin and treatments to even out the complexion, often due to acne scars. Procedures that aim to reduce the signs of aging and hair treatments are also being developed. Supported by important stakeholders in the beauty sector such as L’Oréal, pre- and post-procedure treatments are on the rise, with 6 women in 10 saying they add the finishing touches to their procedures with these kinds of treatments. There is also a clear evolution in the areas treated, connected with the evolution of the treatments, including around fifteen indications for facial treatments: dark circles and crow’s feet wrinkles are the most often treated, followed by glabellar lines.
AAM: What can we expect in 2025?
L.B: Beauty is set to merge with medicine, perhaps with the appearance of “wellness” medicines. AI will be everywhere, offering ultra-personalised approaches and advanced diagnoses with access to a bank of images. Nearer home we will see the arrival of new toxins, the upscale of biostimulators, new hair treatments and less and less invasive procedures. The trend will lean towards longevity treatments, regenerative medicine and a holistic and natural approach.
1: according to data from Arcane Research, BCG, Cetas and Clarivates
