The growing trend for tweakments in spas

Minor cosmetic procedures, often referred to as tweakments, have come to prominence over the past few years and are becoming ever more popular.

Botox and fillers, two of the most common injectable aesthetic procedures, are now being approached with a less-is-more mindset and, as results become more subtle, their popularity increases yet further. In 2021, its estimated 900,000 injections were carried out in Britain.

The Harley Clinic states 43% of UK adults now consider non-surgical cosmetic procedures as part of their normal beauty or grooming routine.

Branching out into aesthetics

To meet this growing demand for tweakments, an increasing number of spas are adding aesthetic treatments to their menus.

Fairmont Windsor Park has dedicated a whole floor to aesthetics, Grand Resort Bad Ragaz has a plastic and aesthetic surgery department and Élan Laser Clinics opened its UK spa-centric flagship earlier this year.

Aesthetics have even made it onto the water, with Celebrity Cruise ship Celebrity Beyond offering the cutting-edge deal Image Ocean MedSpa.

But with this shift comes a responsibility to maintain high standards and professionalism.

European Spa spoke with Dr Haffar Youseff, a London-based practitioner with three – soon to be four – aesthetics clinics, about supporting spas in getting their tweakment offering right.

What are your thoughts on the growth of aesthetics in spas?

Aesthetics within the spa industry is a breakthrough that many never saw coming. The shift is two-fold – both in the number of spas and salons offering advanced aesthetics treatments and in the erosion of the negative stigma around non-surgical injectables.

As an aesthetician who specialises in natural-looking, undetectable enhancements to boost patient confidence, I feel relief and triumph around this breakthrough.

I’m pleased other industries are finally taking aesthetics seriously, recognising the positive effect it can have on wellbeing.

Is there an argument for not mixing the two?

It’s definitely a productive step forwards for the spa industry, allowing spas to offer a more complete package for 360-degree wellness.

Spas could stick solely to being more holistic but, from my perspective, advanced skin care can have dramatic repercussions on a clients’ self-esteem and overall wellbeing.

By adding aesthetics to its armour, the spa industry is opening up additional life-changing solutions to guests.

What concerns you about the growth of aesthetic procedures within spas?

My only concern is ensuring the practitioners are of exemplary quality and offer only natural-looking, undetectable tweakments.

Spa clients need to be introduced to the aesthetics industry softly. If spas offer inexperienced practitioners who provide mediocre results, it’s a bad start.

What should spas be aware of when considering adding tweakments?

When it comes to aesthetics, it’s incredibly important to be wary of changing trends and celebrity influences. New aesthetic trends appear every year and the number of people influenced grows.

I recommend sticking to natural-looking enhancements – they are deep-rooted and will endure every trend.

What space is needed to provide a good service?

As long as there is a spacious, clean medical room, that will be enough. Simply Clinics started from one small room in the basement of a popular high-street gym.

There must be an exceptional level of health and safety, and the cleanliness must be at a clinical level.

What training will staff need?

Always employ a well-trained medical professional such as a nurse prescriber or doctor to perform aesthetics clinics at your spa.

I would recommend recruiting externally – it is imperative your aestheticians are highly experienced and trained in every possible situation.

You need trusted, committed professionals with at least three years’ experience who know how to handle potentially dangerous situations.

How can adding tweakments to a spa menu increase revenue?

The important thing here is to price yourself correctly. I recommend being affordable, but don’t undersell the services you offer.

The pricing should reflect the quality of service you are providing – ensuring guests feel comfortable and relaxed is key. Clients are open to paying a higher price if the service provided is trusted and high quality.

It can help to offer an incentive to try an advanced treatment. Once you have established a reputation, patients will find their way organically and things will become busier over time.