Combination treatments and “treatment stacking”
Combination therapies are nothing new, but their importance has been coming more and more to the forefront and demand for them is now driving market growth
The global combination therapy in the aesthetics market is estimated at a value of $3.69 billion in 2024 and is forecasted to reach $8.03 billion by the end of 2034.
“Treatment stacking”, where patient outcomes are refined by integrating multiple modalities for synergistic effects, is the latest term de jour. This holistic approach addresses diverse aesthetic concerns simultaneously.
Dr Priyanka Chadha explains, “We’ve gone beyond quick fixes. There's been a shift in the consumer mindset. Before, the consumer was coming in for a one-off here and a one-off there, a little bit of neuromodulator, and a quick skin booster. Now, we're managing to educate in the patient consultation that it's a complete holistic approach with combination treatments. And what that's translating into for them is that aesthetics is part of their wellbeing, akin to their daily routine.”
Dr Wassim Taktouk anticipates aesthetics is shifting towards what he describes as the "Quiet Luxury Face," where patients desire subtle enhancements without a look that’s overly altered or artificial. "The skin doesn’t need to be wrinkle-free; it just has to look and feel its best," he explains. To meet this demand, he advocates a holistic approach, combining advanced technologies, injectables, and professional-grade skincare.
Experts are also predicting we will see regenerative treatments being used more and more alongside other procedures to enhance results and aid healing. As Dr Raj Thethi shares, “The regenerative medicine side is really coming through, and we've taken that on board in my clinic. We're all about collagen banking and improving your own body's ability to regenerate, and we're pulling in aspects of regenerative medicine into more traditional areas, too.
“We have an oculoplastic surgeon who does blepharoplasty, and now, we're incorporating things like laser technology or PRP or polynucleotides into blepharoplasty to help further improve the quality of the outcome and make the patient have less downtime, less scarring, and longer-term maintenance of the result.”
However, as demand grows, practitioners need appropriate training and insurance compliance to avoid complications. As Dr Thethi points out, “If you've got a multifocal problem, you'll need multi-modality solutions. But there isn't anything that's unifying all of these different aspects of the sector together. I think that's a massive gap in the market.”
Utilising regenerative procedures alongside other modalities to enhance outcomes and healing from other aesthetic procedures, such as laser resurfacing combined with PRP or exosomes pre and post-procedure
Multiplatform devices: Combining multiple technologies in one for multi-layered results
“Liquid Laser”: Introduced by Dr Xavier Goodarzian at the Regenerative Aesthetic Medicine Conference and Exhibition (RAMCE) in London in November 2024, the Liquid Laser treatment is an exciting new protocol that incorporates Purasomes (a unique combination of exosomes and growth factors), with chemical peeling and microneedling.
"Quiet Luxury" Face: Combining technologies for smooth, refined, filter-like skin
New approaches to training: Combining different modalities in one means training will need to adapt
