New Plastic Surgery
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» Options abound for boosting spa business ? even during an economic downturn

With the economy teetering towards recession, medspas find themselves in an odd position. On one hand, they may see a dwindling of customers who were already pushing the limits of their budgets for treatments, yet they may see an increase in the form of new customers who, because of the economy, may have decided to put off that $10,000 face lift for a few years and take care of things with a few Botox or laser treatments instead.ng to Isaac Starker, M.D., a plastic surgeon, Florham Park, NJ. Even before the economy took a serious downward slide, noninvasive cosmetic procedures were soaring, and figures indicate that cosmetic rejuvenation remains a high priority for many baby boomers.

The number of cosmetic procedures performed in the United States in 2007 was up to 11.7 million, after staying steady at 11.5 million procedures in 2005 and 2006, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, and the number is expected to continue to grow. Meanwhile the society's statistics also show that while surgical procedures have increased 142 percent since 1997, nonsurgical procedures have increased 743 percent since then - and that's good news for medspas

The precarious economy has nevertheless given some medspas the motivation to rethink their business approach and strategize not just on creative ways to build new business, but on ways to retain existing customers. Medspas have plenty of options for addressing the tighter budgets that some clients have to deal with, according to Ms. Whitman. Medspas can also broaden the extent of their products and services to offer a range of price choices.