COVID-19 has changed so much of our daily lives, but has it made you want to get cosmetic surgery?

Masks, social distancing and working from home are just a few things that are now part of our day-to-day living, and many of us are using Zoom or other internet meeting platforms to connect with friends and co-workers daily.

Many users of such platforms have struggled with a new and strange experience: seeing themselves on their webcams every day. Along with this unique experience is newfound insecurity: self-consciousness about one’s appearance.

This increased self-consciousness has many cringing over laugh lines, wrinkles or double chins and has sparked demand for cosmetic work.

According to the Sunday Times, the commonly requested cosmetic procedures include everything from blepharoplasty eyelid-lift procedures to mommy makeovers, including breast augmentation/lifts, abdominoplasty tummy tucks and liposuction to remove unwanted fat.

“Seeing yourself regularly on a Zoom may make you notice things you haven’t really noticed before,” said Dr. Mayli Davis of Colleyville, Texas.

Some physicians are referring to this as the “Zoom factor.”

Many people are reaching out to inquire about procedures because they can recover while they’re working from home.

“This way, no one knows if you’ve had ‘work’ done,” Davis said.

This is not the first time that being in front of the camera has fueled the desire for cosmetic procedures.

“For several years, social media and selfies provoked people to seek out cosmetic procedures and surgeries,” Davis said.

A 2018 study by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery showed the demand for aesthetic procedures had increased by 25 percent since 2012.

The study also showed the demand for dermal fillers and Botox was high. The reason for the surge in demand? According to the AAFPRS, it was selfies and social media.

More than half of the member surgeons surveyed by the AAFPRS reported that their patients were looking for plastic surgery procedures to look better on social media and selfies.

“People want to look good in person and online,” Davis said.

Source: The Times. Vain Zoomers ‘go crazy’ for cosmetic surgery before returning to the office. 19 July 2020.