Video platforms like Zoom tend to accentuate unflattering angles, and increased Zoom use amid COVID-19 may be partially related to a spike in cosmetic procedures, the The Washington Post reports.
Injectable procedures including Botox and fillers are up 90 percent compared to last year at the Advanced Cosmetic Surgery & Laser Center in Cincinnati, Jon Mendelsohn, MD, medical director at the center, told the Post.
"During the virtual consultations, 9 out of 10 people commented about noticing these things over Zoom," Dr. Mendelsohn said.
That's because people aren't used to seeing themselves interact with others, Jason Champagne, MD, a plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills, Calif., said.
"People are paying attention to their facial movements and features while speaking," Dr. Champagne said.
A "Zoom boom" is only partially responsible for the increase in cases. Some people who have always thought about plastic surgery may be choosing to undergo it now because they're working remotely, making recovery easier, experts said. Another potential factor, for those who are still employed, is having extra money that would normally be spent on major life events or vacations that the pandemic has postponed.
The jump in current cosmetic procedure demand is also a result of a backlog of previously scheduled procedures that were postponed during earlier office shutdowns, according to the Post.
Reports of demand increase are anecdotal, as analysis from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons on the number of procedures performed this year won't be available until spring 2021.
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