Daybreak Are weight loss clinics still relevant in the Ozempic era? VLCC thinks so
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Mar 3, 2026 A walk-through of a VLCC clinic visit and the choices customers face between body-contouring and drug-based weight loss. A look at how clinics upsell procedures and pair treatments with new GLP-1 drugs. An explanation of Carlyle’s rapid clinic expansion and why real estate beats product sales for growth. A discussion of India’s slow GLP-1 adoption and the market opportunity it creates.
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Client Weighs CoolSculpting Versus Ozempic
- Shreya visited a VLCC clinic, got body composition tested, and was offered cryolipolysis that cost ~Rs 40,000 per session and required multiple sessions to lose 5 kg.
- She compared it to Ozempic which seemed cheaper and faster, but worried about weight regain reports, creating a real customer's dilemma.
Private Equity Sees GLP-1 As A Beauty Funnel
- Carlyle bought ~70% of VLCC in 2023 and is expanding clinics despite GLP-1 drugs disrupting slimming globally.
- Carlyle treats GLP-1 drugs as an entry point, betting downstream beauty treatments will keep customers inside VLCC's ecosystem.
In-Clinic Upsell During A Facial
- Aparna learned about CoolSculpting during a facial when a beautician pointed out fat on her arms and pitched one session to freeze fat away.
- The casual in-clinic upsell exemplifies how VLCC converts routine visits into higher-margin procedures.