Here’s the uncomfortable truth about medspas: if your retention is lousy, it’s not the industry—it’s you.
It isn’t Groupon’s fault or the new medspa down the street that just opened or the industry, marketing agency, instagram or whatever else you want to blame it on.
You put needles in people’s faces.
You shoot lasers at coochies and take blades to chins. If your clients aren’t raving fans and telling everyone they know to come visit you and even worse – aren’t coming back to you again and again – that means YOU or YOUR PEOPLE or YOUR MEDSPA did not make them WANT to come back.
Study after study shows that the best medspas maintain retention rates of 70–80%.
If your retention is below 70% or sits at 40–50%, you’re not even playing the same game and as a medspa owner you should become maniacal about fixing this…maniacal.
The Brain Chemistry of Loyalty
Loyalty isn’t built by services, it’s built by chemistry.
Here’s what’s happening in the brain when clients become “addicted” to your medspa experience:
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Dopamine (anticipation): Clients light up when they look forward to your environment. Surprise giveaways, friendly newsletters, and consistent rituals prime the dopamine loop.
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Oxytocin (connection): Remembering their kids’ names or following up on vacations builds social bonding. Oxytocin creates belonging.
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Serotonin (status & recognition): Celebrating milestones or simply recognizing clients for who they are cements their loyalty.
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Endorphins (joy): A welcoming atmosphere, laughter, and shared warmth give clients a subtle natural high.
Clients don’t say: “I’ll rebook because my nasolabial folds look smoother.”
They say: “I just love coming here.”
The Benchmark: What Retention Should Look Like
So what’s “good” retention in a medspa? According to industry data:
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Average medspa retention: ~70%
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High-performing practices: 75–80%+
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Anything below 60%: A serious red flag, and usually a sign of a broken experience, not bad results.
The Bottom Line
Retention isn’t luck—it’s engineered. If your medspa feels cold, transactional, or inconsistent, your retention will reflect it. If your medspa makes people feel like they belong, they’ll invent reasons to come back.