Industry Responds to COVID-19: Biopelle, Galderma US Aesthetics

Biopelle

One bright spot for many aesthetic practices during the COVID-19 pandemic has been persistent and perhaps increased demand for skincare. Biopelle has responded to support physicians who wish to dispense their products. 

“We offer a skincare professional affiliate program on Biopelle.com that provides a no cost additional revenue stream for practices,” the company says in a statement. “Partners receive generous commissions on all patient purchases that use their affiliate code along with free shipping and returns on every order. Biopelle also offers monthly special promotions and product of the month discounts as well as deluxe and packette samples with every qualifying purchase.”

Galderma US Aesthetics

“In this challenging year, Galderma was proud to stand with our providers and their practices—many of whom are small businesses,” observes Alisa Lask, VP and General Manager, Galderma US Aesthetics. “As part of this commitment, we made certain modifications to offer more flexibility and support, including turning all of our GAIN trainings into virtual webinars allowing us to offer trainings to twice the number of injectors from the year prior.”

Among key milestones for the company this year, Ms. Lask points to the launch of Restylane® Kysse at the start of the pandemic. “We took a digital-first approach to reach consumers by launching a diverse, national and local-market influencer program, with influencers sharing their real-life experiences using Restylane Kysse. The program also offered up to $100 off Restylane Kysse via ASPIRE Galderma Rewards ($75 off any Restylane product and an additional $25 off of Restylane Kysse)—creating consumer demand when offices reopened.”

Now, she says, “Building on the successful launch of Restylane Kysse, we are doubling down on our efforts to drive the aesthetics market forward and have some exciting programs rolling out later this year.” Among these is the recent approval and planned launch of Restylane® Defyne for augmentation of the chin region to improve the chin profile in patients with mild to moderate chin retrusion over the age of 21. 

Last month, Galderma announced the national launch of Face for Change, a program designed to make a positive impact in communities around the country through charitable donations. The Face for Change program runs through the month of February.

Galderma is also collaborating with MENTOR® Breast Implants, so that patients can earn 500 ASPIRE points for qualifying cosmetic surgeries and redeem for savings on qualifying Galderma treatments. 

“These initiatives bring additional value to practices and their patients, and we are incredibly proud to offer services and programs that result in positive patient experiences,” Ms. Lask says.

As part of its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Galderma has been tracking changes in the aesthetics market. “2020 showed us that consumer behavior can change in one year in what many thought would take 10 years,” Ms. Lask observes. “One of the biggest and most relevant trends we saw last year was the growing demand for procedures during the early months of the COVID-19 outbreak. At the start of the pandemic, most clinics were closed and there was about a 90 percent drop in business. Thanks to all the aesthetic practices that worked diligently to update their operations to ensure consumers felt comfortable and confident in continuing their aesthetic procedures, we saw an unprecedented number of procedures when offices reopened, which helped the industry rebound.”

The ”Zoom Affect” is real, Ms. Lask contends. “People are hyper-aware of how they look and are seeking out ways to make improvements to look and feel their best. Many people are surprised to hear that achieving an enhanced chin projection can bring the entire face into proportion.”

Other market shifts include “a shift in the starting age of people who are interested in aesthetic treatments, contributing to an increase in the overall number of procedures we’re seeing. We’ve seen the average age of lip filler patients decline by six years – the most common age is now around 30 years old.” 

Additionally, practices are expanding their digital footprints, including social media. “We have elevated our digital marketing efforts and they are having a strong impact in converting considerers to loyal Galderma customers. Our ASPIRE Galderma Rewards program now has the highest usage rates since its launch and our social media platforms are tracking high levels of engagement, signaling demand will continue to be strong in 2021,” Ms. Lask says. 

“Looking ahead, it will be critical for all of us to watch for new and evolving trends, particularly knowing how quickly the landscape can change,” Ms. Lask adds. “At Galderma, we are dedicated to driving the aesthetics market forward with innovation and education.”