What Day 2 of the Octane Aesthetics Tech Conference Revealed About Where Med Spas Are Headed
Day 2 of the Octane Aesthetics Tech Conference helped many of us define where we are at, we are feeling the decline of filler but what does the data actually show? The aesthetic industry isn’t contracting, and the data was clear on that.
One of the clearest signals came from search behavior. Botox remains the most searched aesthetic term in the U.S., followed closely by “lips.” At the same time, filler procedures are down roughly 7% overall. That combination tells a more complex story than the headlines suggest.
Filler isn’t disappearing. But the way we talk about it, and the way patients understand it, is changing.
Over time, filler became positioned as a default solution rather than a deliberate one. Patients are now asking better questions: Do I need this? What does this actually do? Is this the right timing?
From my experience speaking at conferences across the country, this shift is deeply regional. In many parts of the U.S., patients are still early in their understanding of filler and genuinely interested in what it can do when used thoughtfully. The opportunity for practices isn’t to retreat, but to return to education and context.
What patients are responding to now:
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Honest conversations about what filler can and cannot do
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Clear positioning of filler as part of skin health, not a substitute for it
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A philosophy-driven approach rather than trend-driven treatment plans
The role of AI in aesthetics
Artificial intelligence was positioned not as a disruptor of care, but as a support system. Patients still want human connection. Clinicians still want to focus on care, not dashboards. The real promise of AI in aesthetics is its ability to reduce friction in the background.
One of the biggest challenges highlighted was fragmented data. Most med spas operate across multiple systems that don’t communicate well with each other. When data is siloed, practices lose visibility into what truly matters: margins, retention, and patient experience over time. AI has the potential to centralize this information, allowing leaders to ask better questions of their own data and make decisions rooted in reality rather than intuition alone.
At the same time, an important gap remains. Clinicians are not analysts. Any technology that adds cognitive load at the point of care will fail. The next wave of AI adoption will need to weave itself seamlessly into workflows without pulling attention away from the patient in front of you.
In my opinion, AI lowers the barrier to entry and makes marketing more scalable especially for large chains or practices. However, in a market that is incredibly competitive, personal branding, creativity, and patient experience are even more importnat. Technology can bring patients in the door but it is still the care, human connection, follow up and engagement online and in person that matters most in aesthetics.
Company Culture in Aesthetics
Vanessa Lee, RN and founder of The Things We Do, spoke about the important of company culture in med spas. Internally, culture emerged as one of the strongest predictors of long-term success for spas. Several leaders spoke about hiring for alignment rather than star power. While you may want to hire a nurse with a large following what is most important is how they contribute and work with others. She also noted doing personality testing early on has helped them a lot.
What’s becoming clear about successful med spas:
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Retention outperforms constant acquisition
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Philosophy matters more than menus
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Culture is no longer optional — it’s a differentiator
Day 2 of Octane was helpful to understand trends and data behind what we are seeing. The conference created a lot of opportunities for meeting investors, software companies behind large practices and also pharma and large players in the medical space. If you are a company looking to engage with capital or to learn more about the private equity influence on aesthetics I highly recommend attending next year. See you there!