Even during a pandemic, consumers want to put their best face forward. In March and April, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, aesthetician practices were shut down, due to local ordinances. No wonder, then, that injectable sales came to a screeching halt in many parts of the US.
 
And yet, data from Galderma’s Aspire loyalty program revealed that people’s desire to maintain their aesthetic routine did not diminish during the shutdown. For example, according to Galderma, 90% of patients surveyed planned to return for their aesthetic treatment within two months, with 55% eager to treat frown lines between the eyebrows.
 
As a result, when economies began opening up, the initial rebound in injectable sales was greater than originally anticipated, explained Alisa Lask, VP and GM, aesthetic business unit, Galderma. She attributed the rebound to a couple of factors.
 
“As virtual meetings have become the new norm, people are seeing their face on camera much more than usual. We’ve seen many industry professionals citing this as the ‘Zoom effect,’” explained Lask. “We also know that because people aren’t travelling or going out as often, they are spending less and therefore are more comfortable spending money on themselves.”
 
She described the aesthetics market as “resilient” and noted that aesthetic treatments are becoming more normalized and part of people’s regular maintenance. Yet, the pandemic has been anything but normal for aesthetic operators and their customers. Therefore, Galderma focused its efforts on ensuring providers and their patients feel supported during these difficult times. 
 
“We have made several modifications to offer greater flexibility and financial support for our customer, including extending payment terms and expiration dates for Aspire Galderma Rewards patient treatment codes and points,” explained  Lask.
 
At the same time, Galderma transitioned all of its professional trainings to virtual sessions and organized 22 free online webinars, which attracted more than 25,000 aesthetic provider attendees. 
 
“Even in a pandemic, our goal is to make sure we are providing and continuing education to ensure optimal patient outcomes,” added Lask. 
 
In addition, Galderma launched consumer digital promotions for patients to earn more points, in order to help spur patient demand once practices reopen. For its part, as a diversified, private company, Galderma remains financially strong and resilient with a portfolio that spans prescription, consumer and aesthetics brands, according to Lask.
 
In the field, the Galderma sales force transitioned to full virtual support and is working closely with customers on following necessary safety protocols as they begin to reopen. 
 
“Whatever the situation may be, we’ve remained flexible on all fronts to ensure our employees and customers receive the support they need in order to be successful,” asserted Lask.
 
That support includes effective new product development. Galderma’s Restylane Kysse is billed as the first lip filler formulated with XpresHAn Technology, which allows individuals to maintain their natural-looking expressions. Lask maintains that the technology has been shown to provide natural-looking, full, soft, and kissable lips, and is proven to last up to one year.
 
^“Restylane Kysse has been Galderma’s most successful lip filler launch to-date, and we have noticed an increased appeal among a younger demographic, likely due to the unique technology and science behind the product,” concluded Lask.
 
With 41% of survey respondents insisting they were looking forward to treating their lips, post-lockdown, it’s obvious Galderma has something to smile about post-pandemic. •