Anti-aging health industry continues upward trend in Middle East

The growth in the market for anti-aging products and services in the region continues to rise and many companies are looking to expand. This is despite a global recession looming.

Nazih Khattar, Managing Director at Kalium Group is aware that this area of medicine involves large numbers of patients looking for elective procedures which can influence his company's business.

"Sure that any adverse financial condition would affect the disposable income and the number of consumers," he said. "It should be noted that anti-aging patients go to their doctors to perform a procedure by choice not necessity,"

he added.

Kalium Group is one of the fastest growing distribution companies in the region catering directly to medical professionals working in the field of anti-aging. Although Khattar is aware of the potential impact the financial crisis will have on global markets he believes Kalium Group will continue to grow along with this area of medicine.

"In this year we doubled our business and established our offices in the region," he said. "We see a lot of opportunities and potential in the anti-aging field especially in minimally invasive procedures due to better public awareness; continued influx of doctors into the region, and the availability of more effective innovative products," he added.

Sietske Meerloo, Senior Marketing Manager at IIR Middle East and organiser of ICAAM shares Khattar's view of the market.

"Although there are questions being asked about where the global financial crisis is going, there is a lot of optimism in the Middle East," she said. "The anti-aging business is booming, and all indications point to the area expanding in the region for years to come. The foundations for this market here consist of consumers who have a high level of liquidity, and with the standard of living rising the opportunity for consumers to choose elective procedures is there. The entire anti-aging industry is on the up and this is why we're seeing such a massive interest in ICAAM," she concluded.

Nazih Khattar believes that ICAAM will allow his company to grow further.

"ICAAM is an international exhibition and will give us more exposure in the market to reinforce Kalium's presence in the anti-aging industry,"

he said.