Skinergy: Combining Modalities for Better Client Outcomes
by Nancy Miller, RN, director of education & research for The Vitality Institute
Aesthetics is a young and thriving industry. It has not had the longevity of other industries, such as the automotive or agricultural industries, and as such, possesses some unique attributes. The primary attribute is that of evolution and growth. A new product, procedure, or device enters the market almost daily. Practitioners are constantly learning and renewing their skill set, and to thrive in a growing industry, one must remain abreast of the technological and ingredient advancements.
NEW DEVELOPMENTS
Not only are there advancements in products and procedures, but the addition of social media has put client results at the forefront. The jaw-dropping before and after image has become the mark of a great practitioner. Perhaps more importantly, it also becomes a path of learning for practitioners on adapting their approach to client care as the details of the treatment protocol are oftentimes shared. There is not a single path to client outcomes but rather an intertwined road that utilizes a collection of treatment options.
COMBINATION THERAPY
Combining therapies for clients creates many unique benefits, some of which are highly visible and others that occur in the background. Combination therapy is the use of two or more unique treatments either in a stacked same-day treatment or a staggered alternating day series. Both are considered combination therapy, and both have a definitive time to be utilized. The primary benefit in combining treatment therapies is expedited and improved client results.
When two treatments of varying mechanisms of action are combined, results are amplified. Combining mechanical exfoliation, like dermaplaning with chemical exfoliation, like a chemical peel, produces greater visible change in skin than using only one of the interventions. This also works when combining either exfoliation method with energy-based devices that focus on thermal injury to defined chromophores. Each modality possesses an ability to deliver focused change to the epidermis, dermis, hypodermis, and, in some cases, the underlying muscle tissue. Skin practitioners can determine which modalities best benefit clients through the assessment of their skin, their expectations, and their lifestyle, to name a few.
TREATMENT SELECTION
Selecting appropriate combinations is determined by first assessing a client’s skin health. Oilier skin types can tolerate stronger interventions while their dryer or more mature counterparts need slower, more progressive interventions. Regardless of how and when treatments are combined, results are always more prominent. This is due to synergy in the mechanisms of action, like in weight loss theories. Weight loss success stories often involve a combination of diet and exercise. Of course, diet alone will make a difference, as will exercise alone, but when both are implemented, plateaus are shortened, weight drops, inches are lost, and the physique as a whole is improved. The same can be said for combining aesthetics interventions. Clients reach their skin care goals faster, the results are more prominent, and their respect for their practitioner is enhanced when treatments are combined.
RESULTS VS. LOYALTY
Achieving outcomes is an aesthetics practitioner’s primary goal but earning a client’s trust and loyalty may be just as vital to the strength of their practice. The incorporation of combination therapies not only improves client outcomes but inherently elevates a practice. Through its use, the practitioner establishes themselves as a problem-solver to clients because they customized their care so well that results seem effortless. Trust is gained, and, in turn, their loyalty grows. In addition, practitioners differentiate themselves from the competition and become the go-to practitioner in their community.
Improved client results, satisfaction, and loyalty with combination therapies is a win-win-win for skin care practitioners, their clients, and their practice. Spend a moment or two writing down all the spa’s treatment interventions on a sheet of paper. Make note of the several treatments that will work well together to enhance client results. Keep these combinations in mind the next time a client with more complex skin care conditions books. Eventually, these customized treatment combinations may become a new signature treatment.