Lighter-weight breast forms, gowns accented with
lace, fashionable adaptive clothing, body-shaping products, wigs
— today's health care products for women must not only be
functional. purveyors say, they must be attractive.
"Many of my customers tell me that they would rather pay more
for our gowns and feel and look nice than wear a cheaper gown that
screams 'hospital patient,' or wear adaptive clothes that 'make
them look ancient,'" notes Annie Cholakian of Silver Moon Bay.
With women's awareness of health issues increasing, this market
also represents a growth opportunity, according to Jaimey Wilman of
Action Bag Co. "In our current economic times, many see doom and
gloom, but I see an opportunity for women's health care providers
to outshine the competition. Servicing niche markets and
differentiating yourself from other providers are keys to
successful market growth."
To pinpoint additional trends in the women's health sector,
HomeCare asked some of buying group Essentially Women's
partners to give us their thoughts, and you'll find them throughout
this section.
"Personalized care with a less sterile feel is a growing trend
in women's care … It is about creating an atmosphere where
women feel comfortable to ask questions, get information and feel
confident that they are a name and not just a number. You see this
trend rising up in many breast cancer care boutiques and shops.
These retail centers look more like a living room than a doctor's
office with plush furniture, welcoming fitting areas and warm and
friendly staff who know each woman by name."
— Jaimey Wilman,
marketing manager,Action Bag Company
"As breast surgeries are trending toward lumpectomy, the market
is evolving to meet patient needs, with high-quality symmetry
shapers and partial breast forms now being redesigned. Advanced
features are being added to these partial forms: technologies like
temperature-equalizing material to balance body heat in the chest
area, and pinpoint-accurate tapered edges to create seamless
contours. Shapers are being recommended not only to breast cancer
survivors but to any woman with breast asymmetry."
— Valerie Esquilla,
Breast Forms and Textiles product manager, Amoena
"Products that sell particularly well are those which address
breast health, lymphedema issues and generally any garment which
addresses health, comfort and the shape of women. Shaping products
are filling a huge need that has existed for a long time. Shapers
of all sorts (midriff, leggings, bust shapers, etc.) all are
popular."
— Yvonne Hogenes,
president, TAB Custom-Fitted Bras and Shapewear
"Wigs are a missing link to generating more revenue. Providers
are operating under some misconceptions that prevent them from
carrying wig lines. Often providers feel they need to be licensed
cosmetologists or invest large sums of money to get started, but
that is simply not the truth."
— Sandy Carpenter,
business development consultant, Gemtress
"The biggest trend that I see in women's health is that more and
more women are becoming aware of the benefits of taking better care
of not only their bodies but also their minds and spirits. Not only
should health products work, they should be convenient and
attractive."
— Gale Donovan,
creator/founder, Renewing You
"Statistics show that new targeted therapies, while they help
prolong life, may cause increased skin-related side effects which
patients deal with on a daily basis. Patients on cancer treatment
have special skincare needs not met by common products in the
marketplace. Studies indicate that compromised skin often affects
the quality of life and also may take an emotional and
psychological toll on patients."
— Lindy Snider, CEO and
founder, Lindi
