And for men during lockdown, if they weren’t able to cut their hair, then it also looks thinner when it’s slightly longer,” he says.īut Dr Jill Owen, a psychologist from The British Psychological Society, warns the version of ourselves we see on our screens can be deceiving and distort reality. “When you’re looking at a Zoom call and you’re in a well-lit room, your hair’s going to look thinner no matter what you do. Dr Munir Somji, a cosmetic doctor who works at London’s Dr MediSpa Clinic, says he’s received an increase in men requesting hair transplants, due to the time they’ve spent looking at their hair on video calls. There’s also a surge in demand for ‘neck rejuvenation’ and ‘jawline contouring’, as people spend more time looking down into their computer’s camera and focussing on those areas of their body.Īnd although women historically account for a far larger proportion of cosmetic procedures than men, the Zoom Boom isn’t just for women. By and large, UK-based practitioners say that the Zoom Boom is driving interest in non-invasive facial procedures, like Botox, fillers or skin resurfacing that correct lines caused by the facial expressions we notice on video calls as well as to tackle wrinkles. Injectables were the most-asked-for treatments, followed by more invasive procedures, such as breast augmentation and liposuction. Similarly, a recent survey by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons showed that 64% of its doctors had seen an increase in their virtual consultations since the start of Covid-19. However, the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) says its doctors were reporting up to 70% increases in requests for virtual consultations during this period, as patients continued to consider treatments they’d be able to get once they could see their surgeon face to face again. So, when the pandemic hit, some cosmetic doctors felt extreme uncertainty about what lockdown would mean for their industry, especially with disposable household income falling as well as the inability for patients to see doctors in person. Americans spent more than $16.6bn (£12.76bn) on cosmetic plastic surgery in 2018, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, with an average facelift costing almost $8,000 (£6,151). ‘Cosmetic’ plastic surgery, in which someone changes their appearance for aesthetic rather than medical reasons, ranges from non-invasive procedures, such as Botox or skin fillers, to invasive procedures, such as facelifts and rhinoplasty.Īnd these procedures are pricey. What is it about pandemic video calls that have us scrutinising our every feature – and just how rational is it? “We were inundated with queries saying, ‘I’ve noticed that my frown line is terrible, that my lips need doing, or my nose is crooked’.” Since the UK lockdown began in March, Save Face has seen a surge of 40% more traffic to its website, with people researching treatments, then going onto the register to find local practitioners. “‘Lockdown Face’ has become a thing,” says Ashton Collins, director of Save Face, a UK government-approved register of accredited cosmetic practitioners. It’s being referred to as the ‘Zoom Boom’. Cosmetic doctors and plastic surgeons around the world – Australia, the US, the UK, Japan, South Korea – have reported surges in bookings for surgical and non-surgical treatments following lockdown. It’s little surprise that after months of conducting conversations via video call, many of us have started to analyse – and criticize – our appearances more. Were those crow’s feet there before lockdown? Did my nose suddenly get bigger? Is one eyebrow higher than the other? It’s not the dog barking in the background, or the roommate making lunch over someone’s shoulder – it’s the sight of our own faces.Īnd the longer that video thumbnail stares back at us, the more we start to notice things. As much as we may now be trained to sit on video calls and stare at our colleagues through a computer screen, many of us find ourselves constantly distracted during our daily huddles and meetings.
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