As COVID-19 spread around the globe in 2020, millions of people worked from home and had more time on their hands. Some of them decided this was the ideal time to have plastic surgery.
While it might seem odd at first glance, it turns out that people spending more time at home and seeing their faces on Zoom calls made them more interested in facelifts, eyelid lifts, and Botox injections.
The surge in plastic surgeries led to an increase in revenue in my business, continuing as more Americans are getting vaccinated. This article shares the details about why my plastic surgery practice grew during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Zoom Boom
During the height of the pandemic, most elective procedures were cancelled, including plastic surgery. Many surgeons faced tough economic times temporarily, but after elective procedures were allowed to resume, plastic surgery roared back.
Plastic surgery experts attributed the rising interest in plastic surgery to the Zoom Boom. Millions of people were suddenly working from home for months, and their work meetings were done by Zoom calls.
Many people stared at their images for hours on Zoom, and began to notice the wrinkles around the eyes and the loose skin under the neck, and so on. The Zoom camera often captured their faces in poor lighting and unusual angles, making users clamor for plastic surgery, especially on the face and neck.
Zoom turned out to be useful for plastic surgeons, too; as many doctor appointments could not be in person, surgeons turned to virtual consultations.
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons reported that about 70% of plastic surgeons did their patient consultations remotely in 2020. In my practice, this meant that I could see just as many patients as before the pandemic, even though it was done with Zoom.
Recovery Time Became Easier
So many people worked at home for much of 2020 and beyond, and this led to another reason that my plastic surgery practice took off: Recovery got easier.
My patients often worked 100% at home, and when you decide to have rhinoplasty, for example, you need to have dressings and splints on the nose for at least two weeks. And it can take several months for all of the bruising and swelling to disappear.
Patients found it easier to recover at home from major surgical procedures. They could work from home and conduct their work meetings remotely, and few people would ever know they had a tummy tuck or liposuction.
I have found that men especially can be shy about other people knowing they have had ‘work done’ to make themselves look younger. Working from home was a way that men could have plastic surgery without their co-workers and friends knowing about it.
Mask Wearing Led to More Facial Procedures
Before 2020, who would have thought that most of America would be wearing masks in public at one point? As we all know, this became reality for millions of people for months, and some still are wearing masks today.
Mask wearing encouraged people to have treatments in the lower face, such as injectable fillers around the mouth and in the lips. Some also opted for fillers on the jawline to tighten the skin. Some wore their masks all day outside the home, meaning patients could have these procedures and no one was the wiser.
More Disposable Income
The pandemic caused most of us to spend much more time at home, which meant eating out less and skipping vacations for a year or more. Americans also didn’t have to spend as much on work clothes as they were working from home in their PJs or workout clothes.
Many of my patients said they had more disposable income, so it was a perfect time to have plastic surgery.
Most Popular Procedures during COVID Era
As I noted earlier, facial procedures have been especially popular. In my office, I have done Botox and dermal fillers, such as Dysport and Juvederm to reduce wrinkles around the eyes, nose, and mouth. Some patients also have chosen non-surgical rhinoplasty to smooth out minor imperfections in the nose.
Body contouring procedures also have been popular, including liposuction and CoolSculpting. These procedures are effective in shaping body contours and eliminating fat that is resistant to diet and exercise.
The COVID pandemic continues to affect the world in many ways, but it seems likely that people will continue to turn toward plastic surgery for self-improvement. The pandemic has made more people realize what’s important and to pursue things that will make them happy.
More about the Practice
Dr. Ran Stark is double board-certified by the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Plastic Surgery. He finished more than 10 years of surgical training after medical school, including an aesthetic surgery fellowship under Dr. Louis Bucky.
Dr. Stark was born and raised in Philadelphia and earned his bachelor’s in biology from the University of Delaware. He completed medical school at Tel-Aviv University, where he won the Hillel Nathan Award for Academic Excellence in Anatomy.
For more information about my practice, please visit Stark Plastic Surgery in Philadelphia.
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