How Covid-19 Changed Plastic Surgery

When the COVID-19 pandemic started, plastic surgery took a significant hit, as did many industries. With lockdowns widespread across the globe, many healthcare facilities stopped most elective procedures, including plastic surgery such as eyelid lifts, Portland liposuction, and Portland breast augmentations.

Also, many people feared going to healthcare facilities and just going out in public when the pandemic first hit. Many people canceled their cosmetic procedures as they were afraid of the risks of COVID-19. And some patients were unable to afford their procedures as they lost their jobs or work hours.

But these changes were short-lived. By the end of 2020, many restrictions on elective surgeries were lifted, plastic surgery centers reopened, and more patients than ever wanted to learn about plastic surgery.

Plastic Surgery Gets Popular During A Pandemic

Who would want to have plastic surgery with a pandemic enveloping the world? When you first think about it, the idea of people wanting plastic surgery during a pandemic and lockdowns seems strange.

But if you consider it for a bit, it makes more sense. People who had, for example, wanted a Portland tummy tuck forever now could do it without missing work because they were working remotely.

After all, It can take a month to recover from this procedure, but when you're working out of your bedroom, you can have plastic surgery, never miss work, and most people won't even know!

Also, for people who weren't commuting for most of the year, buying clothes and lunch, they had more money in the bank to spend on a brow lift or Botox.

The Zoom Boom

Another major factor in increasing interest in plastic surgery was the Zoom Boom. Millions of people started to work online from their homes, many saw themselves looking at their faces on a screen for hours per day.

This led them to notice those lines around the eyes, wrinkles on the brow, double, chins, etc. As you might think, this led thousands of people to get all types of cosmetic procedures, including dermal fillers and many others.

Cosmetic Procedures That Saw Increases

In 2020 as the pandemic hit, many of the same cosmetic procedures were as popular as ever, including breast augmentation and rhinoplasty. In addition, as noted above, the ability for many to recover at home while they worked made it easier for people to get back on their feet without taking time off.

Procedures such as rhinoplasty are apparent and require extensive recovery, so many people enjoyed the ability to change their facial appearance without many even knowing. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons reports there were 352,000 rhinoplasties in 2020 alone.

There also was an increasing interest in many facial procedures because of Zoom and other video chat programs. Patients wanted facelifts, eyelid surgery, and chin liposuction more than over.

Patients also were interested in non-invasive procedures, including Botox and dermal fillers. These procedures are temporary, but they are affordable and offer impressive results as long as you get new treatments every three to six months.

ASPS noted that 4.4 million patients chose to have Botox injections in 2020.

Will The Changes In Plastic Surgery Last?

Many experts speculate whether the greater interest in cosmetic procedures, especially facial procedures, will continue after the pandemic fades in the coming months and years. It's hard to say, but it seems likely that more interest in plastic surgery will likely remain.

One reason is that the way many companies do business has changed; some have discovered that workers can be just as productive at home, if not more so. This means that many workers will continue to work at home and do their meetings and project work on Zoom and other video apps.

Employers also have noticed they often can reduce overhead costs by keeping many employees working remotely. Interest in facial procedures such as facelifts and eyebrow lifts will likely continue indefinitely.

Second, Millennials are getting older, with the oldest ones approaching 40. But, thanks to the younger Gen Z generation, they are no longer the most youthful adult Americans. Instead, they will be the first generation turning 40 in a world dominated by online social media.

There will be a continued trend towards people wanting to look younger and their best in an online world.

Request A Cosmetic Surgery Consultation

Thinking about a cosmetic procedure in Portland? Dr. Aric Aghayan is proud to serve Portland area patients at his practice, Après Plastic Surgery. He'll go over the options, goals, and more to determine if you're an ideal candidate for a variety of cosmetic procedures.

References

Will The Plastic Surgery Boom Last After The Pandemic? (2020). Accessed at https://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/blog/will-the-plastic-surgery-boom-last-after-the-pandemic

Plastic Surgery Procedures During The Covid 19 Pandemic. (2021). Accessed at https://www.cbsnews.com/news/plastic-surgery-cosmetic-procedures-covid-19-pandemic