Across most developed countries, cosmetic doctors have reported surges in bookings for surgical and non-surgical treatments during the pandemic.
A US research also revealed that 49 out of 100 people who had never considered plastic surgery before are now keen to consider it.
Enquiries for nose jobs, neck lifts, etc., are up by 200% for leading cosmetic practitioners in Australia, while in the UK, website traffic to sites offering these services is up by 40%.
And it is not only women who are fuelling this growth; a new trend, ‘Brotox—Botox for men’, is in, and over 470,000 Brotox treatments were given in the US in 2019 alone (5% up from 2018).
This increased interest in cosmetic procedures has been attributed to several factors:
Factor 1: Zoom-boom.
Video calls mean we see ourselves from different angles for hours each day.
This leads to us noticing things in our looks that we think can improve, which is why dental enquiries/appointments are also up.
Factor 2: Money.
Overseas travel is a considerable expense for most households, and since that is off for a while, people have savings that they want to use for a facelift.
Factor 3: Masks.
Since masks are compulsory at many places, people want to use this opportunity to get plastic surgeries or lip injections because the mask can cover the healing period.
Factor 4: Preparation for upcoming face-to-face meetings.
The demand for body procedures is also up because people working from home realize their body shapes are no longer what they want them to be.
Now that face-to-face meetings, both personal and professional, are in sight, people want to be in the best shape possible.
And since it is easy to get away with their secret surgery when working from home, people don’t want to let go of the opportunity.
