Would you get your GLP-1 from the same place you get your favorite facial? Aesthetic practices want in on the increasingly popular world of GLP-1 weight loss treatments. And according to leading BeautyEngine data, practices offering weight loss management are experiencing a serious surge in demand.
Featured Experts
- Johnny Franco is a board-certified plastic surgeon in Austin, TX
- Joseph Russo, MD, is a board-certified plastic surgeon in Newton, MA
- Erik Haines is managing director at Guidepoint Qsight, a data and analytics firm specializing in healthcare trends
GLP-1s Are More Popular Than Ever
Though they've only been widely available as a weight loss treatment for a few years, the GLP-1 market is already valued at almost $50 billion. With projections estimated to reach $150 billion by 2035, it's clear that GLP-1s are here to stay as a majorly popular method of weight loss.
And while weight loss is largely considered a health matter, there's no denying that there's a serious aesthetic component. At the same time, there's a significant overlap between GLP-1 patients and aesthetic patients, as large weight loss can result in skin laxity.
“We’re seeing younger patients with skin laxity and volume loss, which are issues we typically associate with more mature patients,” explains Austin, TX plastic surgeon Johnny Franco, MD. “These patients are coming in for circumferential bodylifts, arm lifts and thigh lifts. For sagging and volume loss in the face, many are opting for facelifts instead of overfilling with filler.”
Aesthetic Practices Are Capitalizing on This Major Trend
Last year, 39 percent of aesthetic practices surveyed reported that semaglutide and weight loss treatments were among their most popular offerings. This year, that number increased to 60 percent, a massive 54 percent increase from 2024.
According to our wide-ranging BeautyEngine survey of aesthetic practices, weight loss has become a major category of aesthetic treatment that practices are actively involved in. While we know that plenty of GLP-1 users get their medication through physicians as well as online retailers, the past year has seen a significant increase in the number of aesthetic practices providing these treatments.
Getting your weight loss treatment from an aesthetic practice also offers a specialized approach to maintenance after your goal weight is reached. This doesn't just keep clientele engaged, but also helps patients retain their goals, manage expectations and get the best, longest-lasting results from treatment.
“Most of the GLP-1 medications are intended for long-term use with people who have diabetes or pre-diabetes,” explains Newton, MA plastic surgeon Joseph Russo, MD. “Once you reach your weight loss goal, you can go to a maintenance level. But like anything else, once you stop the diet or stop the medications and start eating like you did before, you’re going to gain weight again.”
In addition, we know that GLP-1s have led to an increase in nonsurgical aesthetic treatments overall. Meaning, practices that offer weight loss treatment have the opportunity to create long-term clients, helping them meet new aesthetic goals once weight loss is achieved.
“GLP-1s are rewriting the playbook for medical aesthetics,” says Erik Haines, managing director at Guidepoint Qsight, a data and analytics firm specializing in healthcare trends. “Not only are they generating significant revenue, but they’re also attracting a new wave of patients—40 percent of whom were first-timers in 2024.”
