The most popular cosmetic procedures of the pandemic are primarily those which address on the face. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons states there are 18 million cosmetic surgeries per year. Many believe that plastic surgery became unpopular during the pandemic, but that’s not true.

Many people have had cosmetic surgery procedures during the COVID-19 era after some early hesitation. The pandemic was actually good for Houston plastic surgery.

WHEN THE PANDEMIC STARTED

When COVID-19 first broke in the US, there was a drop-off in some plastic surgeries. There were lockdowns in effect as well as social distancing, so many healthcare facilities suspended non-elective procedures and most forms of surgical procedure.

The only plastic surgeries that could be done were those considered to be essential and reconstructive surgery as well. In some areas, some plastic surgery facilities had to close their doors. It was a very difficult time for plastic surgery.

But this shutdown didn’t last for long. By June 2020, many restrictions on cosmetic procedures were lifted, and these facilities reopened. Patients seeking popular plastic surgery procedures such as a tummy tuck or breast implants were welcomed back by cosmetic surgeons.

PLASTIC SURGERY PROCEDURES DURING THE PANDEMIC

You might wonder why someone would get plastic surgery during the pandemic. Isn’t having a non-essential plastic surgery procedure during this time strange? With the risks of being exposed to the virus, you might think that going under the knife is a bad idea.

While this is a concern, as we learned more about the virus plastic surgeons became more aware of what to be concerned about and how to take proper precaution while performing a surgical procedure such as a breast reduction or a tummy tuck. Once the initial shock of the pandemic passed plastic surgery procedures were able to be performed regularly and without concern.

Everyone was at home during the initial lockdowns of the pandemic, why would people be interested in plastic surgery procedures when they are at home so much of their day? In the era of social media, we are all connected in ways we weren’t before. People on zoom, video chatting, sending selfies. Even if the world was at home, people are still aware of their appearance.

The pandemic changed the ways we work at home. If you have been on social media during the pandemic, you could see people working at home in their workout clothes. They might be sitting on their couch on their laptop when they ‘go to work.’

People are casual about their appearance during this time, so are they still interested in plastic and cosmetic surgery procedures? Yes! People spend more time on social media now than ever before. Even though we may be more casual than before, people care about their appearance and are more interested in cosmetic surgery than ever.

If you think about it, this isn’t surprising. If you were thinking about a facelift a few years ago, you could do it during the pandemic when you work from home. Your recovery can take place with few people seeing you during your recovery period. You also don’t need to take a vacation from work.

There are many reasons why surgical procedures have surged during the pandemic and the ease of recovery is a big factor. Whether it is recovery from a nose job, breast augmentation or an eyelid lift, recovery when working from home has been a big factor.

One of the biggest reasons people have gotten plastic surgeries during the pandemic is the ‘Zoom Boom.’ Millions of Americans have been using Zoom to have daily meetings with their co-workers as they do their jobs. They have been seeing themselves on video camera for hours per day and may have noticed things about their faces that they didn’t like.

For example, a computer camera may show your face’s lines, wrinkles and saggy skin. Zoom has been an impetus for those people to have cosmetic procedures, including facelifts and dermal fillers.

THE MOST POPULAR PANDEMIC PROCEDURES

During the pandemic, a lot changed in plastic surgery. Some procedures have surged in popularity. Breast reduction and breast augmentation, liposuction, and eyelid surgery, facelifts, and rhinoplasties have always been popular. These procedures have stayed popular because working remotely lets people do their recoveries at home without downtime.

But there has been a big jump in the number of cosmetic procedures on the face, thanks to so many people working form home and spending so much of their day in front of a camera video chatting.. Patients are asking for more facelifts, Botox, and injectable fillers.

Chin liposuction also is a growing and popular procedure now. Working from home drove this trend, as did public masking. Many plastic surgeons offered more nonsurgical procedures, and some provided minor procedures on a drive-thru basis.

Many plastic surgeons reported an increase in facial procedures that could be done in one session, including Botox and injectable fillers. People wanted their procedures done in one sitting and didn’t mind if there was more bruising and swelling because they worked remotely and were wearing masks in public.

QUESTION AND ANSWERS

What are the most popular non surgical cosmetic procedures?

Some of the most popular non surgical cosmetic procedures are Botox soft tissue filling, laser skin resurfacing and chemical peels.

How popular has breast augmentation been during the pandemic?

Liposuction, breast augmentation, and eyelid surgery rank as the most prevalent surgical cosmetic treatments globally. In 2021, over 1.6 million breast augmentation surgeries were conducted.

What are some of the other common plastic surgery procedures ?

When it comes to other popular cosmetic surgery procedures we find breast reduction surgery, breast lift and nose job among others. A tummy tuck is also a very popular body contouring procedure which entails the removal of excess skin.

WILL THESE TRENDS CONTINUE?

Will the higher interest in facial plastic surgery procedures procedures continue as COVID-19 recedes and more Americans are vaccinated? It’s hard to say, but some in the industry believe it’s likely it will continue after the pandemic.

First, note that life probably won’t go back entirely to the way it was before COVID. More businesses have increased profits and productivity by using a remote work model for many employees. Also, many enjoy talking to co-workers, friends, and relatives on Zoom and similar platforms.

Even when people socialize in person again, many Americans will probably continue to use this technology. They’ll continue to see their faces on cam, which could drive them to seek plastic surgery as a solution.

Another issue is that the oldest millennials are 38 as of 2021. With Gen Z and other new social media platforms, millennials aren’t the ‘kids’ anymore. They live in a largely online world and are approaching 40. Even if our lives go back to the way they were, social media and video platforms will continue to influence our behavior.

REQUEST A PLASTIC SURGERY CONSULTATION

Interested in a Houston plastic surgery consultation? Please set up a consultation with plastic surgeon Dr. Ashley Steinberg today. She’ll talk to you about the benefits and risks of various procedures to determine if you’re a good candidate.

References

Will The Plastic Surgery Boom Last After The Pandemic? (n.d.). Accessed at https://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/blog/will-the-plastic-surgery-boom-last-after-the-pandemic#

Demand For Plastic Surgery Rises During The Pandemic. (2020). Accessed at https://abcnews.go.com/Health/demand-plastic-surgery-coronavirus/story?id=71773172