Generating supplemental income by performing cosmetic procedures

What do you know about dermatology? Aesthetic cosmetic services is a multibillion dollar market. The most common procedures include: botulinum toxin injections, microdermabrasion, collagen injection, laser hair removal, and chemical peels. There are many family physicians, general internists, and other non-dermatologists who are performing elective cosmetic surgical procedures in the office. These physicians are earning a tremendous amount of supplemental income. In fact, some family physicians have even stopped practicing primary care and have devoted their careers towards cosmetic procedures.

On the AAFP (American Academy of Family Physicians) website, you'll find several articles related to aesthetic cosmetic procedures. One of them, written in 2007, is titled, "Aesthetic Cosmetic Procedures Can Be Boon to FPs." Here's a snippet from that article:

According to a recently released survey from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 11.5 million cosmetic procedures, surgical and nonsurgical, were performed in 2006 in the United States, an overall increase of 446 percent since the collection of statistics began in 1997. The survey reports that Americans spent a whopping $4.5 billion for nonsurgical procedures, with botulinum toxin injections and laser hair removal -- procedures easily performed in FPs' offices -- topping the list.

How much could you earn by performing some minor cosmetic procedures? According to that same article, you could expect an additional net revenue of $3,000 to $15,000 a year if you perform a few procedures each week. However, keep in mind that most payors will probably not reimburse for cosmetic procedures that are not medically necessary, so you'll need to be located in an area where your patients are able to pay cash. Dermatology in Los Angeles? I'm sure you won't have any problems finding affluent patients who can afford to pay for some aesthetic cosmetic services. You may assume that most of these patients are going to be women, but there are actually many men who are looking for aesthetic cosmetic services. If you live in California, you may be quite busy with Laser Tattoo Removal in Los Angeles.

If you're interested in cosmetic procedures, I suggest that you read the AAFP review article in the American Family Physician titled, "Aesthetic Procedures in Office Practice." Here's the abstract:

Since the approval of botulinum toxin, dermal fillers, and lasers for cosmetic use, minimally invasive aesthetic procedures have rapidly become the treatments of choice for age-related facial changes. In the past 10 years, aesthetic procedures have increased nearly five-fold. Of the 10.2 million aesthetic treatments performed in 2008, 83 percent were minimally invasive procedures. Botulinum toxin and dermal filler injections, laser hair reduction, chemical peels, laser skin resurfacing, microdermabrasion, and intense pulsed light photorejuvenation were the most commonly performed procedures in 2008. These procedures are effective and associated with minimal discomfort, and they have a low incidence of adverse effects and short recovery times. High patient and physician satisfaction have contributed to their growing popularity and availability in the primary care setting. As patient demand for aesthetic treatments increases, family physicians should be familiar with common minimally invasive aesthetic procedures when advising patients or incorporating aesthetic care into office practice. (Am Fam Physician. 2009;80(11):1231–1237, 1238. Copyright © 2009 American Academy of Family Physicians.)