EDDIE HOOKER

Eddie Hooker, chief executive and founder of Hamilton Fraser asks, does the language we use matter?

At the start of 2025, Hamilton Fraser released its trends report and predictions for what would be shaping the market in the coming months. One of the key shifts we have seen is towards the medicalisation of the market.

We always try to keep our finger on the pulse of what’s happening in the sector, and recent conversations have got us thinking about the language we use in aesthetics and why it matters.

Aesthetics has evolved outside of the parameters of traditional medicine, and as such, the terminology used to describe professionals and treatments has, at times, been a contentious issue. Misleading job titles and ambiguous language can impact patient trust, regulation, and even legal claims. With professional bodies, legal experts, and insurers weighing in, there is growing recognition of the need for clarity in how practitioners describe themselves and their work.

INDUSTRY, SECTOR, OR SPECIALITY - WHAT’S THE RIGHT TERM?

The debate over whether aesthetic medicine should be classified as an industry, market, sector, or speciality remains ongoing.

Traditionally, “industry” suggests a profit-driven enterprise, whereas “sector” implies a broader professional field, and “speciality” denotes a medical discipline.

Gareth Lewis, head of operations at the British Association of Medical Aesthetic Nurses (BAMAN), advocates against using the term “industry” when referring to medical aesthetics. “We see it as a specialism or sector, not an industry, because our focus is on patient care, professionalism, and medical responsibility rather than a profit-driven model”, he says. “Referring to medical aesthetics as a sector supports these principles by emphasising the elevation of standards and the protection of the public. Using the term industry undervalues the specialism and suggests profit-driven care over prioritising patient care, which contrasts with BAMAN’s values of integrity, professionalism, and patient safety.”

Independent nurse prescriber Cheryl Barton adds, “Industry is defined as economic activity concerned with the processing of raw materials and the manufacture of goods. We have transport, pharmaceutical, manufacturing and fashion industries. Sectors relate to people. We don’t have a private health industry. It is a sector. Until we start challenging and changing these words and phrases, people, politicians especially, will continue to consider us as ‘fill and freeze factories’.”