IBSA: Aesthetic Insights interviews Luca Crippa and Tania Pirazzini, the filler market is already recovering

Over the years, the dermal filler market has seen steady global growth due to the rising prevalence and awareness of the visible signs of ageing. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on medical aesthetics. At the start of last year, Medical Insight estimated that the global aesthetic market would grow 11% from $12.5 billion in 2019 to nearly $14.0 billion in 2020. In January 2021, the same journal estimated that 2020 sales were closer to $10.5 billion, down around 15%.

But as the pandemic enters its second year, the dermal filler market is showing a strong recovery. “Not only is the global dermal filler market on the upswing, but patient demographics are changing as well,” says Luca Crippa, Managing Director & CEO of IBSA Farmaceutici. “Baby boomers are still driving the market as they seek major enhancements for a different, younger appearance. In the meantime, Gen X (40- to 50-year-olds) have started to notice wrinkles and want to slow the ageing process. Younger generations, including Millennials, have different goals, including preventative treatment. The common thread we see across all the generations is that they are asking for a natural look, with less invasive treatments entailing the least possible pain and risk.”

Once again, the data and trends should be analysed prospectively to grasp the extent of the recovery and the potential for future growth and development. For instance, in the United States, 2-3% of consumers opt for dermal fillers, while the penetration rate is much higher in other countries, like South Korea where it is peaking at close to 12%. This indicates that the aesthetic market has enormous potential, with substantial margins for growth.

IBSA is responding to the new market challenges with high-quality products that are the result of close control over the entire production chain. One excellent example is hyaluronic acid produced entirely in Italy.
“It will become even vital to constantly focus on scientific updates and technological and clinical innovation to meet the market’s demands,” adds Crippa. “Specifically, clinical innovation encompasses all the initiatives geared towards meeting the latest needs in accordance with clinical requirements. These are key concepts that should be shared so aesthetic professionals recognize the added value to our individual solutions.”