Step 2 — Choose Your Procedures for Training

Building Your Menu of Services

Everyone loves to eat at a restaurant with a large, diverse menu where every dish is prepared well.  Eventually, every aesthetic provider wants to offer the ideal one-stop shop for many complimentary aesthetic procedures.  However, one must only practice procedures she/he is skilled at.  It can be very frustrating to try to master many new services at the same time.  But, it can also be very limiting to offer a very small menu of services while trying to build a practice.  This article should help you find that common ground.  Remember those restaurants with the biggest menus often are not very good at any one dish.  

Order of Training

All of the aesthetic procedures spotlighted on this site provide value to patients and for you as a provider.  However, we always recommend when starting out that you learn the most popular aesthetic procedures first. This allows you to build your practice as quickly as possible.
Next, add the procedures that are synergistic with your existing menu of services.  This allows you to cross-sell and upgrade your first clients to additional services when appropriate.  One can train in this second tier of services initially or a few months after launching your practice.

Consider Training in Botox, Filler, PRP, and Microneedling Together

In general, one should train in Botox® and Fillers first.  Training in Botox without Fillers might seem like a careful approach.  While they are straightforward to perform and gain experience in at first, but quickly you will want your patients who have other needs to stay with you for PRP or Microneedling instead of going to someone else who could eventually poach that patient for Toxins and Fillers.  Launching PRP with Microneedling at the same time or shortly after has proven also to be a successful formula for many aesthetic professionals looking to build a busy practice in the shortest time.  Choosing the procedures with Fast learning curves listed below can ideally be learned together.  Basic linear Filler procedures like naso-labial folds are also in the “Fast” category, but all indications for fillers take a little more time to master.  Still, they should be launched at the same time as you launch Botox®. 

Over time as you listen to your patients, niche services that may be highly requested can be added once your core services are profitable and your learning curve has flattened.

Avoid Training in any Equipment-Based Procedures at first.

Fancy equipment sold by a slick salesperson promising high return on investment after booking just two new patients a month sounds too good to be true and it is.  Owning this equipment is not a badge of achievement for you, nor is making thousands of dollars of monthly payments a month going to help you build a viable business any faster.  In general, any equipment that plugs into a wall outlet historically has been a money-loser for most providers for most providers who offer it for a few reasons…

  1. The equipment requires packages costing thousands of dollars per patient.
  2. Generally these machines have a shelf life of around 3-5 years of marketing hype before they get replaced with something prettier or newer that takes over the marketing hype.
  3. These machines are rarely worth more than 50% of price paid in year one and depreciate more than 80% in 3 years.

If you have $100,000 saved in the bank and want a machine, then go for it.  But otherwise, earn your reputation with injection procedures that are profitable from day one, and with microneedling and PRP and are profitable before the first starting order of equipment and supplies is consumed.

Summary of Injection-Related Aesthetic Procedures...

Aesthetic training services comparison Botox, filler, PRP, Microneedling, PDO Threads, and Sclerotherapy

➡️Each procedure assumes you have taken accredited training and follow all FDA-cleared indications and work within commonly accepted safety parameters. Popularity ranks on a scale of 1 (unpopular) to 5 (wildly popular). Learning Curve describes how quickly most well-trained providers feel comfortable doing routine treatments in practice.  Length denotes typical time for the provider to perform a procedure on one patient by the end of year 1.  Risk of complications is a very relative term as any procedure is risky in the hands of a poorly-trained provider with poor judgment.  However, assuming the same skill level, some procedures have a higher rate of complications due to the complexity or randomness in outcomes even for straightforward cases.  Synergies represent the ability to cross-sell other procedures listed on this table.  Initial Expense refers to the equipment and supplies needed to perform your first procedure.  Margins refer to the return on the cost of your time and supplies needed to do the procedure.

NOTE that PDO threads and Cosmetic Sclerotherapy are no longer recommended as foundational injection procedures to learn.  PDO threads due to the raw cost of the barbed threads plus complexity of the procedure and complications.  Sclerotherapy due to general lack of interest from typical aesthetic patients, and potential for vascular complications.