Four Key Body Contouring Trends To Watch

Today, more and more people are looking for easier alternatives and ‘quick fixes’ to eliminate body fat or tighten skin. They want proven and lasting results from safe, non-invasive body contouring procedures without downtime.

The effect of this rise in consumer demand has meant that energy-based non-invasive devices have become mainstream, with a continuing quest for better treatments that can demonstrate proven results.

So what exactly does the future hold for body contouring? Let’s look at the statistical trends and the treatment trends currently shaping the market …

Trend 1: All over perfection for all ages – losing inches is a growing business

In 2017, ‘Fat reduction’ was the most researched minimally invasive category on RealSelf. It’s hardly surprising: the real beauty of body contouring is that it addresses unmet needs for all ages, according to Medical Insight, Inc., 2017.

Millennials see these procedures as a norm and will therefore expand the market as they age, while social media and reality TV are promoting consumer interest. An aging baby boomer population, keen to turn back the clock, is a further growth driver; while a rise in obesity has also contributed to the rise in interest, with the World Health Organization claiming that figures have more than doubled since 1980.

In fact, eight million body shaping procedures were performed in 2016, earning practitioners over $4.3 billion. By 2021, the installed base of systems is predicted to reach 58,000 units, as more physicians enter this market.

Trend 2: Manpower – the increase in male interest

Interest from men in achieving a more redefined and sculpted body is yet another factor. In the U.S., the number of males who underwent non-invasive body contouring treatments rose from 14,598 in 2012 to 26,902 by 2015: an annual increase of 22.6%. In fact, 16.7% of non-surgical fat reduction procedures were performed on men in the US, mirroring trends seen in other countries.

Trend 3: Two’s better than one – combination treatments

What better way to achieve success than through not one but two treatments in a powerful combination? For example, liposuction and fat reduction is ideal for treating stubborn areas of the body and hard to shift bulges. The inch-loss results can then be fine-tuned when combined with a top-to-toe skin tightening treatment such as NuEra tight by Lumenis, a powerful RF solution to address any skin left sagging post-procedure.

Trend 4: Embrace the elements – Fire and Ice

As the name suggests, Fire and Ice body sculpting combines heating and cooling. First, cryolipolysis permanently eliminates fat cells by freezing them. However, as with liposuction, removing fat this way can make cellulite appear worse. The second ‘fire’ stage therefore uses RF – again, such as NuEra tight – to heat the collagen below skin so that it tightens and regenerates.