The Welcome Side Effects of National Zoom Meetings

When coronavirus swept across the world in early 2020, it upturned our social and professional lives. It had far-reaching effects most people couldn’t have predicted, including our near-complete reliance on remote working and the growing obsolescence of traditional office environments. However, our reliance on video conferences for social and professional interactions led to another interesting side effect—a heightened demand for plastic surgeries and other cosmetic treatments.

The demand for cosmetic surgery skyrocketed, inadvertently kicking off a trend now being called the “Zoom Effect.” Now that most people are staying indoors and avoiding social gatherings anyway, they’re taking advantage of the current situation to handle pesky cosmetic issues, such as wrinkles, facial asymmetries, etc. Coolspa Founder and Medical Director, Dr. David Rapaport, was recently quoted in an article for Ladders in which he explained the factors driving the Zoom Effect, and which we wanted to share with our many patients.

Mental Health and Wellness

When people hear about the Zoom Effect and the increasing demand for cosmetic treatments during a pandemic, they often think the demand comes from risk-takers. But that assumption contradicts the ground truth. According to Dr. Rapaport, “these people by and large are not risk-takers. On the contrary, they are generally extremely careful and making great efforts to remain safe during the pandemic. I’ve had countless patients tell me that they are only leaving home for absolute necessities such as essential outdoor shopping and doctor’s appointments.”

The words “absolute necessities” are interesting and crucial because they highlight how many patients seek cosmetic treatments these days—not as a frivolous or superfluous endeavor but as a necessity. Patients opting for cosmetic treatments see them as essential for their overall mental health and wellness. If you’re stuck at home looking at your own face on an HD video camera that amplifies all your flaws, it makes sense to look after your facial appearance and do something that makes you feel better in these trying times.

Changes in Spending Habits

One of the pandemic’s biggest impacts has been that people haven’t had many avenues for discretionary spending in the past year. As such, people who still have active sources of income now have financial reserves that they would have otherwise spent on clothes, travel, concerns, restaurants, theatres, etc. According to Dr. Rapaport, “this all leaves people who do continue to have income with limited outlets for spending,” giving rise to the recent boom in cosmetic surgeries.

Masks & Recovery Times

Dr. Rapaport identifies masks and stay-at-home culture as two other reasons for the recent boom in cosmetic surgery. Since people don’t have to go to offices or socialize, they can comfortably opt for plastic surgeries involving weeks-long recovery periods, such as facelifts and neck lifts. They can comfortably recover at home without having to account for their whereabouts. The culture of wearing masks has also increased demands for cosmetic treatments that affect the lower face. Dr. Rapaport identified two specific procedures to have seen an increase in demand: “these include lip fillers as well as fillers to the marionette folds under the mouth and treatments to tighten the skin of the jawline and neck such as Morpheus8.”