A 'Brite' New Franchise Opportunity Could Be on Horizon in Hair-Removal Sector

Perhaps hair-removal franchises have suffered from investor reluctance in the past; maybe it has failed to inspire confidence in some franchisees due to the inherent risk of accidents or harm to the consumer.

Today, however, there are many different safe treatments and procedures in the hair loss treatment and removal industry that could be pointing to a turnaround. According to IBISWorld, a leading independent source of industry and market research, revenues were expected to grow 0.4 percent annually from 2007 to 2012 to $551.1 million.

"This focus has transitioned industry services from purely cosmetic, discretionary treatments to procedures necessary for general personal upkeep," according to IBISWorld.

"You know the sun's going to set in the west and rise in the east and you know women don't want hair on their armpits or lips," says Joe Mathews of Franchise Performance Group consultancy and co-author of "Street Smart Franchising." "It doesn't matter what the economy does. Those are services that are needed."

And that bodes well for well for the Body Brite franchise, an up and coming franchise system that offers not only an Intense Pulsed Light or IPL treatment for permanent and relatively painless hair removal, but also skin rejuvenation and hydration and even collagen- infused gel patch treatments to reduce crow's feet, lid swelling and discoloration around the eyes.

"We knew that in the pre-existing spa industry, there were many critical flaws that always seemed to doom a new business: too much square footage, too many employees, too much overhead, unreliable equipment and a lack of support," the company says on its website. "In parallel, we realized that our true partners are our franchisees, and they constitute our life-line to success. And that by supporting them we would be supporting ourselves. We simply put two and two together and came up with the award-winning Body Brite franchise system."

Body Brite has more than 300 clinics worldwide, with a presence in the United Kingdom, Spain and Mexico, but its entry into the U.S. market has been recent with a handful of units spread out between New York, Texas, Georgia, Minnesota and Puerto Rico. Yet, it has already landed on the top of franchisehelp.com's list of best fitness and beauty franchises in the USA for 2013.

Among other things, Body Brite is touted for having a low initial investment and low overhead. Liquid capital requirements are estimated to be about $50,000. Plus, it offers a simple model within facilities of less than 1,000 square feet with low staffing needs and recurring revenue streams. Plus, no previous experience or beauty industry knowledge is necessary to become a franchisee.

The future looks rosy for the overall beauty industry as well, franchisehelp.com reports. With increasing diversity of products and services and innovation in the industry, the beauty segment continues to expand globally, with some projections claiming 8.5% growth by 2014, the website reports. Several trends support this expansion and promise continued profitability into the future.

It's too soon to see how Body Brite will ultimately perform in the U.S. market, but those interested in investing in the health or beauty categories might keep the company's name on their radar. Market conditions look favorable for its growth and the brand has proven success in other countries.

- Ambrosio Cantada is the founder and editor of FranchiseChatter.com, a membership site for prospective franchisees and is a frequent contributor to FranchiseHelp.com.