Sarah Mourtos Getting uncomfortably acquainted with your face thanks to Zoom? So is the rest of the world, and it’s changing the plastic surgery industry.
Take a moment to reflect on all the Zoom meetings you participated in over the past couple of months. Have you concentrated on the discussion? Most of the time, maybe. Or did you spend a narcissistic amount of time staring at your reflection in the small-box located at the top right-hand corner? Guilty as charged.
The transition from real-life to virtual meant we were confronted with our reflections more so than before. Many are left thinking ‘do I really look like that?’ after seeing themselves in unflattering lighting and an awkward angle via a computer screen. Plastic surgeons in the US witnessed an exponential uptake in clients wanting cosmetic procedures, for this very reason. Likewise, Australian clinics saw an influx of patients booking in for when restrictions ease.
“There’s the Zoom phenomenon — people spend all day looking at their video feed,” plastic surgeon Dr Jon Turk told Inside Edition.
In the States where restrictions vary, patients view the stay at home order as an excellent opportunity to accommodate for the downtime required for several procedures. Rhinoplasties and breast augmentations are on the rise over there.
Masks are another phenomenon changing the way clients view their face and body. Face-coverings are mandatory in Victoria, and several other states are encouraging its residents to wear them when in public and on public transport. Masks place focus on the eyes (when worn correctly), and this can alter what clients request once they return to the clinic.
New York plastic surgeon Dr Lara Devgan told the New York Times that she expects more requests for under eye filler, brow lifts and eyelid surgery as all the attention turns to the eyes. “I also think that as we cover our faces, we’ll reveal more of our bodies,” she told The New York Times.
As the eye is drawn from the face towards the rest of the body, she expects a greater focus on torsos, buttocks and legs. Typically, this period would be a quieter time for American surgeons as people avoid undertaking any cosmetic procedures during the Northern Hemisphere summer with bodies on full show, but again this is not the case. Recovering in the privacy of their own home with no reason to leave seems like a pretty convenient deal for most.
On the flip side, time away from the clinic is also seeing patients request a more natural look for when they return. Experts forecast the overfilled look will become dated as society rides out the pandemic and faces have time to relax.
Is your clinic feeling the Zoom phenomenon, and are clients requesting a natural look? Let us know below.
