Shrinkage, Waste and Expired Product: Finding the Leaks

Every med spa loses some product. Vials expire after reconstitution, syringes get damaged, retail stock disappears and samples go out the door. The question is not whether it happens, but whether you know how much and whether it is under control.

The four main sources

1. Expiry after opening

Reconstituted products have a limited usable window. If injectable appointments are spread thinly across the week, more opened product expires. Clustering injectable appointments by day or provider reduces waste.

2. Expired stock on the shelf

Over-ordering, slow-moving products and poor rotation leave stock expiring before use. Use first-expiring, first-out rotation and review slow movers quarterly.

3. Unrecorded use

Touch-ups, demonstrations, staff treatments and samples all use product. When they are not recorded, they show up as unexplained variance.

4. Loss and theft

High-value, portable products need controlled storage and access. Most clinics never face theft, but regular counts and controls protect the ones that would.

Measure it

Each month, for each product:

• Expected closing stock = opening + purchased − used in recorded treatments and sales
• Actual closing stock from a physical count
• Variance = expected − actual, in units and dollars

Track the dollar variance over time. A sudden jump deserves immediate attention.

Reduce it

• Cluster injectable bookings to use opened product fully.
• Order in quantities matched to real usage, not discounts for bulk.
• Record every complimentary treatment, demo and sample.
• Keep high-value products in locked storage with a sign-out log.
• Review slow-moving retail stock and run it down before it expires.
• Count at the same time every month so results are comparable.

Make someone responsible

Assign one person to own the monthly count and variance report. Clear ownership is usually what turns a vague worry about product loss into a number that goes down.