„Awareness of aesthetic treatment and procedures is higher than ever“
Interview with Jiny Kim, Senior Vice President, Solta Medical
Jiny Kim is Senior Vice President, Solta Medical at Bausch Health. Jiny joined Solta Medical from Zimmer Biomet, a global medical technology leader in orthopedics, where she was General Manager of Smart Implants. Prior to Zimmer Biomet, she worked at LivaNova as Vice President of Global Marketing, Neuromodulations, Depression, where she led key initiatives in clinical and commercial areas. Jiny worked at Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices for 12 years, where she held multiple global strategic and regional marketing roles launching and managing significant brands. We spoke to Jiny about the state of the aesthetic market in general and the positioning of Solta Medical in particular.
MÄC: What is your current view of the aesthetic market and which opportunities do you feel lie in investing in medical aesthetics?
Jiny Kim: My view of the aesthetic market is that it is still a rapidly growing and attractive market. However, I believe that our global consumers preference is shifting. I am seeing a trend where our consumers are looking for more natural-looking results and are interested in the overall health of their skin. Smaller, less invasive “tweakments” are in demand across all age demographics to tackle moderate signs of ageing. Patients are looking to aesthetics for a more radiant appearance, seeking treatments which improve skin quality and offer more natural-looking results. With our current Solta Medical product portfolio, we are well prepared to offer doctors all over the world the right products to address these consumer demands and trends.
MÄC: How is Solta Medical driving innovation within the industry? Do you have an overarching philosophy here?
Jiny Kim: Solta Medical is built on 20+ years of track record and legacy. We are very fortunate to have a “gold standard” product portfolio – Thermage®, Clear & Brilliant®, Fraxel® and Vaser®. Our priority is to continue to build innovation that brings additional customer and consumer value.
MÄC: Some devices such as Fraxel® were very famous in the market many years ago. Why did this change over the years and how do you plan to get back to this level?
Jiny Kim: Many of our customers tell us if there is a natural disaster and they could only save one product from their practice, they would grab Fraxel®. They all agree that it is a valuable tool that can address many of their patients‘ conditions and issues.
Fraxel® is also very reliable, and we did not see a huge need to update the product for a long time. However, more recently we had the opportunity to make some improvements to our Fraxel® and we are looking to bring the next generation of Fraxel® to the US market in late 2024. We will work with the EU regulatory bodies to then bring it to the EU market. There are improvements in this next gen that customers and patients will find delightful.
MÄC: Beyond day-to-day business, many customers today expect corporations to have values and help achieve the greater good. How is Solta striving to be a force for good both domestically and abroad?
Jiny Kim: Solta Medical is part of a much larger organization, Bausch Health, and together we support many initiatives that address community needs at local, regional and global levels, such as our partnership with patient advocacy groups, our support of underserved global patient populations through MAP International, our ongoing Responsible Procurement Program to grow a base of diverse vendors, and of course, supporting initiatives with fundraising, such as UNICEF.
MÄC: How has the aesthetic market transformed over time to reach a broader range of consumers?
Jiny Kim: First, awareness of aesthetic treatment and procedures is higher than ever. Second, in today’s environment, receiving and seeking out aesthetic treatment and procedures are much more accepted and talked about than previously. Third, more consumers feel more comfortable receiving these procedures at a much younger and much older age. It is no longer just women in the 45-55 age range. We talk about active collagen loss starting in our mid-twenties and that you shouldn’t wait until your forties to start taking care of your skin or ensuring you‘re mitigating collagen loss. There are many more “pre-juvenation” procedures done especially with our younger consumer demographic than ever before.
MÄC: Which steps is Solta Medical taking to ensure inclusivity for all consumers?
Jiny Kim: Solta Medical is privileged in that we are truly a global company. Our products are available on every continent, and we have a significant presence in many countries. The fact that our products are indicated to treat our consumers regardless of the color and age of their skin helps us reach a very broad patient base.
MÄC: In short: what is Solta’s vision for the future of the company?
Jiny Kim: Solta Medical is known in the industry as a pioneer and a leader, especially in the segment of energy-based devices within the Medical Aesthetic industry. Our vision for Solta is that we will continue to bring world-class, innovative, gold-standard products to market that you can continue to trust and rely on to delight your consumers.
MÄC: What makes Solta Medical particularly well positioned for future success?
Jiny Kim: We have a very solid and growing base of business that has been built on our multi-decade experience and our customers’ and consumers’ trust. And we are continuing to invest and grow our existing portfolio. In addition to that, we are now well positioned to leverage this base to innovate and bring new products to the market. We are looking forward to having a solid cadence of our next generation of product launch over the next several years. We are grateful for our customers‘ support for the past 20+ years and look forward to continuing to delight them in years to come.
MÄC: Dear Jiny, thank you very much for taking the time to speak to us!
The interview was conducted by S. Höppner.
