Plastic surgeons often collect data to find out what trends are dominating the industry, including information like who’s getting plastic surgery, what types of surgery they’re getting, and why they’re getting it. The pandemic was the perfect opportunity to observe how the effects of being forced to stay home affected people’s desire or need for surgery. Many people are curious to know whether there was an increase or decrease in the number of people seeking plastic surgery.

Lower Plastic Surgery Rates In 2020

Surgery rates dropped in 2020 at the very start of the pandemic as doctors, hospitals and clinics shut down and eliminated elective surgeries. With Covid raging, and due to the fact that vaccines were many months away, medical professionals were not taking any chances.

In addition to the practical reasons behind the drop in plastic surgery rates, there were also fewer people even thinking about plastic surgery. Even though Zoom culture had taken over, and people were on camera all day every day, they were less concerned with their appearance as they focused on connecting with people in a strange new world. With Zoom, they didn’t even have to show their faces on screen if they didn’t want to, allowing them the mental break needed from having to look “their best” at all times. There was no longer the pressure of going out and seeing friends in person because they couldn’t. This allowed them to hide.

A Recent Surge in Plastic Surgery Requests

Once the pandemic showed signs of slowing, however, people started coming out of hiding, and many of them did not like what they saw. Those people are behind a surge in plastic surgery requests. There are several key reasons behind the surge.

Increased In-Person Interaction

Months of being indoors have allowed people to forget about their bodies and faces. Being in public again, however, has refocused their attention on their looks. They know that eventually everyone will be heading outside and meeting up in person, and they want to look good.

Masks Hide Evidence of Surgery

Masks have enabled people to hide the evidence of their plastic surgeries, so they can still meet up with people without revealing their secrets. Working from home also allows people to heal privately and in the comfort of their homes without having to miss work. They can be “cameras off” while going through post-surgery or post-procedure recovery.

More Expendable Income

Many people saved a ton of money during the pandemic since they weren’t going anywhere. They’ve decided to use some of the money they’ve saved to give themselves fresh new looks.

Zoom Highlighted Flaws

Once the worst of the pandemic seemed to wane and people made plans to rediscover NYC, many of them suddenly became hypercritical of the way they looked on camera and vowed to make a change. They could see how prominent their crows’ feet were, how their skin sagged or how crooked their noses seemed. They want to take care of those issues before regular face-to-face interactions resumed.

Step Towards Renewal

If you’re thinking about plastic surgery, you’re not alone. It’s a time of renewal for everyone, but everyone’s needs are different. Reach out to Dr. Loeb with any questions you may have about plastic surgery so that you can make the changes you need to enjoy this next, beautiful phase of life.

Meta Description: The post-pandemic plastic surgery boom is taking off and shows no signs of ending. Find out how people are using plastic surgery to make big changes in their lives.