LAS VEGAS Look no further than your own office staff in deciding which cosmetic products to offer for sale in your practice, Dr. Kathy Fields suggested at the annual meeting of the American Society of Cosmetic Dermatology and Aesthetic Surgery.
The best product lines are simple, efficacious, relatively affordable, and beyond all else, safe, said Dr. Fields, a dermatologist in private practice in San Francisco.
But how do you know?
She suggests conducting mini-trials in-house, using your office staff.
"Leverage your team. Grab your staff and do your own before-and-afters," she said.
It will quickly become clear if a product line is popular. An added bonus is that staff members serve as in-house examples of how well a product works.
In one mini-trial in her office, 7 out of 12 staff members had skin reactions to a product line she was testing.
Obviously, that one never made it to the consumer shelf.
"Test it and make sure," she said.
Certain products are sure to sell if they work, especially if they're "elegant, simple products."
For example, many consumers love eye creams, night "boosters," and products containing Retin-A, Dr. Fields said.