The verdict in three sentences
For a dermatology-led aesthetic clinic in Lausanne, choose your provider first on medical content compliance, ownership of the domain and code and the ability to produce careful clinical photography, with price coming after. A Lausanne agency makes sense if you want frequent workshops on your premises, a monthly video shoot and a contact fifteen minutes from Place Saint-François. A well-scoped remote studio is enough once your treatment menu is stable and you are happy to run the project by video call, with a local photographer hired separately.
Which criteria really matter for a dermatology-led aesthetic clinic?
A clinic run by dermatologists speaks to two audiences: medical dermatology patients (mole checks, eczema, severe acne), often referred by their GP, and aesthetic patients (lasers, peels, injectables), who compare three or four clinics between Lausanne, Vevey and Geneva before booking. Many English-speaking practitioners in Lausanne also serve an international patient base linked to sports federations, international schools and research campuses. The site must separate these journeys without blurring medical credibility. Here is the grid we recommend for comparing offers.
| Criterion | Local Lausanne agency | Remote studio | What to require in both cases |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-person workshops | Easy, often included | Rare, scheduled video calls | Written minutes after every workshop |
| Time zone overlap | Full | 0 to 9 hours depending on the studio's country | At least 4 shared hours within your clinic hours |
| Native FR and EN copy | Native French, English often outsourced | Varies by studio | One native writer per language, reviewed by a doctor |
| On-site photo and video | Simple to organise | Hand to a local photographer | Written transfer of image rights |
| Domain, hosting, code | To be set in the contract | To be set in the contract | Domain in the clinic's name, admin access, code handed over |
| Forms and health data | Varies | Varies | Minimal fields, documented hosting, record of processing |
| Price of a 15 to 25 page site | CHF 15,000 to 40,000 | CHF 2,700 to 8,200 (Kolonell grid) | Itemised quote per deliverable |
The most underrated criterion is medical review. A page on fractional laser or rosacea treatment must be signed off by a dermatologist on your team, whoever builds the site. Plan 4 to 6 hours of internal review.
What does each option cost over three years?
The launch price is often misleading. The figures below are 2026 ballpark ranges based on public rate pages of local agencies and typical agency quotes in French-speaking Switzerland: check them against your own quotes.
| Item | Lausanne agency | Vaud freelancer | Remote studio (Kolonell Growth) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design and development | CHF 18,000 to 35,000 | CHF 6,000 to 14,000 | CHF 4,500 |
| FR and EN copywriting | CHF 3,000 to 6,000 | CHF 1,500 to 3,000 | Included |
| Clinic and team photo shoot | CHF 1,500 to 3,500 | CHF 1,500 to 3,000 | CHF 1,500 to 3,000 (local photographer) |
| Maintenance and hosting over 36 months | CHF 5,400 to 18,000 | CHF 3,600 to 9,000 | CHF 3,600 to 9,000 after the 3 included months |
| Updates (new treatments, pages) | CHF 3,000 to 8,000 | CHF 2,000 to 5,000 | On quote |
| Indicative 3-year total | CHF 30,900 to 70,500 | CHF 14,600 to 34,000 | CHF 9,600 to 16,500, excluding updates |
At Kolonell, the international grid is fixed: Starter CHF 2,700, Growth CHF 4,500, Premium CHF 8,200, with a project manager reachable in your time zone, native English or French copywriting, delivery in 3 to 4 weeks and 3 months of support. Custom applications and search work are priced on quote.
When is the local agency clearly the better choice?
To be fair, a remote studio is not the right answer for every clinic. The Lausanne agency wins if:
- you want to publish monthly videos filmed in the clinic with the same creative team;
- your management board insists on in-person sprint reviews;
- the site must integrate deeply with your practice software and your on-site IT provider, for example for a patient area;
- you run several locations between Lausanne, Morges and the Riviera, with paid campaigns managed by the same team.
A remote studio is enough for a 10 to 25 page site, booking through an existing tool (OneDoc, Doctolib or your practice software's calendar) and content that changes a few times a year.
Six questions to ask both types of provider: who writes the copy, and in which native language? Who checks the compliance of treatment pages? Where are the site and forms hosted? Will the domain be registered in the clinic's name? What happens if you change provider? What is the response time if the site goes down on a Monday morning?
What the site must respect in Switzerland
The revised Federal Act on Data Protection (nFADP, nLPD in French), in force since 1 September 2023, treats health data as sensitive personal data. A consultation request form should collect only what is strictly necessary, and the privacy notice must state where data is processed. If you also target patients from neighbouring France, the GDPR may apply as well.
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On advertising, the Therapeutic Products Act and its advertising ordinance prohibit promoting prescription-only medicines to the public, which includes botulinum toxin: describe a treatment for expression lines after consultation rather than naming a brand. The Medical Professions Act also requires advertising to be objective and not misleading. For before and after photos, get written consent, avoid retouching and state that results vary between patients. For accessibility, aim for WCAG 2.1 AA, or 2.2 AA, as good practice. This is not legal advice.
Mini case study
Illustrative example: Dr Léa Morand runs a dermatology-led aesthetic clinic in Lausanne with two dermatologists and three assistants. She wants an 18 page site in French and English for a patient base that includes many expatriates.
- Local agency quote: CHF 28,000, then CHF 450 a month, so 28,000 + 16,200 = CHF 44,200 over 3 years.
- Remote studio: Growth at CHF 4,500, Lausanne photographer at CHF 2,200, outsourced maintenance at CHF 180 a month from month four, so 4,500 + 2,200 + 5,940 = CHF 12,640 over 3 years.
The CHF 31,560 gap pays for two photo shoots a year and medical review time. If Dr Morand wanted a monthly video filmed on site, the local agency would become the logical choice again.
FAQ
Can a remote studio handle before and after photos?
Yes, as long as a local photographer shoots to a fixed protocol: same lighting, angle and distance. The studio provides the guidelines and you manage written consent. Budget CHF 1,500 to 3,000 for a day's shoot in Lausanne.
How long does the project take?
Kolonell delivers in 3 to 4 weeks once content is approved. A local agency often quotes 8 to 14 weeks for a clinic site, workshops included.
Can I feature botulinum toxin on my website?
Promoting prescription-only medicines to the public is prohibited in Switzerland. You can describe an indication and a consultation pathway without highlighting a product or brand. Have the 3 to 5 pages concerned reviewed by a specialist lawyer.
Who owns the site at the end of the project?
Require in writing that the domain, code and content belong to the clinic on final payment. A clause requiring access handover within 10 working days avoids lock-in if you change provider.
Does the site need to meet WCAG?
For a private clinic the legal obligation is limited, but WCAG 2.1 AA remains the benchmark. It improves readability for older patients and can be checked with a 1 to 2 day audit.
Let's scope your project. A bilingual French and English website for a dermatology-led aesthetic clinic in Lausanne, from CHF 2,700 to 8,200, delivered in 3 to 4 weeks. See the international offer or request a free quote: detailed reply within 48 hours.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.