The beauty industry is being embraced worldwide! The global aesthetic medicine market size was valued at USD 86.2 billion in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 9.8% from 2021 to 2028.
For this reason, while experts estimate that the aesthetic business in Malaysia is 15 to 20 years behind advanced nations, they also forecast of its great potential for growth.
Of crucial importance for doctors transitioning to the field is the question of why they are making this career shift. Is it merely for monetary gain or to stand out in the field as a credible aesthetics physician? While monetary gain is important for survival, Dr. Lenzo Ling Aesthetic Physician, Managing Director and CEO of a renown aesthetic clinic in the nation’s capital states that the latter is the right focus for the transitioning doctor.
Having the right focus would cause a doctor to be willing to obtain the needed expertise without pay if necessary, or to simply to take a pay cut when first starting out. No business owner is willing to pay a doctor a high salary just so they can acquire the necessary skillset in the aesthetic business, notes Dr. Ling. To be well paid by a business owner, a doctor is expected to possess advanced skillsets in the field.
As this is virtually impossible for the transitioning doctor, their expectations must be realistic. A doctor must be willing to receive lower remuneration while gaining expertise in the field. “One has to give up something to gain something” says Dr. Ling. In time, after acquiring the necessary skills, the doctor will make up for the income that was sacrificed in the beginning years.
After his House Officer training, Dr. Ling moved to the plastic surgery division of a hospital and served there for three years. It was here that he realized that aesthetic medicine was his calling and his passion. He derived fulfilment in helping patients be transformed from a state of traumatic scarring to a state of “scarlessness” which was the ultimate goal.
After his three years at the plastic surgery division, Dr. Lenzo attended the Korean College of Cosmetic Surgery, of which he is a member today, to enhance his skills. He spoke regularly with professors, observed practices in large clinics and specialized hospitals, and gained hands-on practical experience which helped him acquire the crucial skillsets that he has needed to succeed in the field.
These skillsets have enabled him to become the successful aesthetic physician that he is today. He’s also a member of the American Academy of Aesthetic Medicine where he’s a certified board member and trainer.
In Malaysia, only a registered medical practitioner can serve as an aesthetic physician but that too only after acquiring the Letter of Credentialing and Privileging (LCP) Board Exam in Aesthetic Medicine conducted by the Ministry of Health.
While the LCP enables a doctor to practice aesthetic medicine in Malaysia, clients in the marketplace tend to be demanding and expect high performance from the aesthetic physicians. This is where knowledge expertise and quality skillsets come in.
Instead of becoming a jack of all trades and a master of none, the best way to proceed in aesthetic medicine is for a doctor to focus on a few procedures and be highly skilled in his/her primary area of expertise. As an example, cosmetic laser, a form of controlled burning procedure is increasingly popular in aesthetics, but it’s also an area that requires much learning and skill.
According to Dr. Ling, with the right focus of attaining high skillsets, any doctor transitioning to the field will succeed in aesthetic medicine. Doctors, there’s nothing like learning from someone else’s experience to expedite your own progress in a field!
