A closer look

Skin scanners can analyse many aspects of skin health, from pigmentation to bacteria and redness. Kezia Parkins explores how they can help with client loyalty as well as treatment and retail sales

The market for skin scanner devices has experienced a boom, with the tech becoming a useful tool for aestheticians and beauty pros to enhance their services and consultations. These devices can increase the granularity of skin assessments, personalise treatments, help boost revenue and provide client education.

“I feel they are quickly becoming a ‘must have’ for any clinic. Patients are investing time and money into their skin and they want to see results,” says Megan Crowhurst, Norfolk-based aesthetic nurse and co-founder of The Nurses Network, who uses 3D Aesthetics’ device, 3D Visage, in her clinic.

“But, some patients may struggle with ‘perception drift’, whereby the before and after is clear to us as practitioners but not clear to them. Skin scanners allow you to aid in their journey and demonstrate the difference you have made to them and their skin quantifiably.”

What are skin scanners?

Skin scanners and facial analysers use advanced imaging technology to assess various skin markers, including hyperpigmentation, sun damage, sebum levels, pore size, elasticity, broken capillaries and more. Many are large devices kept in a salon or clinic but increasingly there are handheld options available for mobile therapists.

“Skin imaging systems are also great for capturing the ‘state’ of skin beyond the naked eye, showing things like bacteria levels and redness,” explains Dr Munir Somji, director of Dr Medispa in Loughton, Essex. By providing in-depth analysis of the skin’s condition, these devices can help develop customised treatment plans tailored to each client’s unique needs.

Enhanced diagnostic accuracy

Skin assessment has traditionally relied on visual inspection and client self-reporting, which can be subjective with lots of room for human error or even biases in dermatology. Skin scanners and facial analysers, however, help to remove some of that subjectivity.

“I can see redness in darker skin to diagnose something like rosacea with these devices, which is commonly misdiagnosed in these clients,” says Dr Somji. Using high-resolution imaging and sometimes multispectral analysis, these devices can reveal underlying issues happening below the skin’s surface. This level of diagnostic accuracy enables aestheticians to identify and address problems early, making them a prevention tool too.

“I was interested in looking at pigmentation, and with these devices you can see pigmentation when it’s just starting to come on and recommend treatments to stop it progressing,” says Dr Stephen Humble, medical director of the Hedox Clinic in London.

“People are often shocked when they see their pigmentation on a skin scanner,” adds Crowhurst. “Especially when it comes to deep pigmentation.”

Dr Humble continues, “A lot of clients will come in and say ‘I just want Botox’ but what they really need to do is address the quality of their skin with skincare and non-invasive treatments – and skin scanners can help us demonstrate that.” Claire Amos, owner of CLK Medical Aesthetics in Bridgend, Wales, adds, “The most valuable thing I get from a skin scanner is patient awareness of their skin condition and being able to offer tailored treatments to address their concerns.”

Personalised treatment plans

With detailed insights into a client’s skin condition, there is an opportunity to craft truly personalised treatment plans. Whether it’s choosing the right type of facial, chemical peel or laser treatment, the data provided helps ensure that each client receives the best treatment for them.

“Every person’s skin is different as their lifestyles will be unique,” says Crowhurst. “The skin scanner tells us what their journey should be, and your knowledge will help your patients improve what they see on the screen by automatically tailoring this to their individual results. You get better outcomes from a more personalised routine and skin scanners make the outcomes quantifiable.”

As well as yielding better results, personalised treatments can increase client loyalty as people are watching something created for them as an individual.

Objective progress tracking

One of the challenges in skincare is tracking the progress of treatments over time and the problem of perception drift, which keeps clients from seeing the improvements made in their skin.

Skin scanners can store images and data from each session, allowing for objective monitoring of changes in the skin’s condition. This capability can be invaluable for demonstrating the efficacy of treatments to clients, as they can see visual proof of their improvements, so it’s not your word against theirs when you can see results and they – having looked at their face in the mirror every day – haven’t realised the extent of the change.

“Many patients come in and, once they have their treatment, you will provide them with a skincare regime which will start to work to address skin concerns and issues, and the majority of the time you will not see the results immediately,” says Dr Somji. “Rather, the patient will be able to see how their skin has been transformed over a period of time by comparing an image of their skin on day one and then, say, six weeks later.”

Increased client trust and retail

Clients are getting increasingly clued up about aesthetic treatments. By incorporating high-tech tools like skin scanners, aestheticians can boost their credibility as clients may be more likely to trust practitioners using state-of-the-art technology to help inform their decisions. Being able to illustrate and eductate clients on what their skin needs, these devices can also help with retailing products for clients to continue their care at home.

“I am definitely able to upsell skincare with the help of my skin scanner. Once people see the damage and we work out what is causing it, they want a tailored plan to treat it,” says Amos.

Crowhurst adds, “If you offer skincare in your clinic (or even if you don’t) they will aid in the sale of your services as they demonstrate pigmentation, wrinkles, dehydration and more for the client, all of which can be improved by skincare, devices and injectables. In my opinion, they are key in aiding an in-depth consultation, building trust and confidence with patients and giving an overall enhanced experience.”

At Dr Medispa, Dr Somji says it’s not so much about upselling but rather identifying skin solutions and treatments and continually tweaking and improving the protocol in order to take the skin to an optimised healthy baseline. “The system helps capture the patient’s skin journey and the results they are achieving,” he adds.

Client education

The visual data from these devices can be used as a tool to educate clients about their skin’s condition and the rationale behind the recommended treatments and can empower clients to take better care of their skin and stick to treatment plans.

“We find that they are invaluable for the patient understanding about their skin condition and about treating that condition,” says Dr Somji.

“I find my skin scanner is most useful for client education,” adds Dr Humble. “If someone has oily or acneic skin and is using a product that is blocking their pores and I know they need a more exfoliating product, I am able to change their mind as I can show them that congestion. A picture is worth a thousand words.”

Amos adds, “They really give the patient a great visual, and you can explain skin care and treatments in a more scientific way while they visualise it.”

Pros and cons

While the benefits of skin scanners and facial analysers are big, there are also considerations to keep in mind. Highquality skin-analysis machines can be expensive and are a big investment, so it’s important to know how to get the most out them. “The investment is worthwhile if you understand how to leverage this as a tool in your clinic,” says Dr Somji.

Amos adds, “Before purchasing, ensure that you understand skin anatomy, skin conditions, and what treatments would be beneficial for each; otherwise, you and your patient will not benefit. Now I have the machine, it’s definitely paying for itself despite not charging for it. It’s complimentary as part of an initial consultation, but it’s very valuable to be able to offer this.”