What do hand sanitizer, toilet paper and a beautifully improved appearance all have in common? They have all become “necessities” in 2020 as a result of COVID-19. Face it, most of us have been stuck at home for months and have had too much time on our hands to stare at the lines we’d like to smooth, the sagging we want to lift and the bulges we wish to burn. So it’s no wonder that as the lockdown on elective procedures was lifted, the demand for cosmetic surgery started surging, even though other medical practices were still struggling to survive. After all, with facial plastic surgeons like Dr. Gallo following all CDC guidelines and putting the utmost care into patient safety, there’s no reason to socially distance yourself from the beauty procedures you want and no better time to start looking and feeling your best.
The Case for Cosmetic Surgery
While we are still social distancing from family and friends, no one seems to be keeping their distance from beauty procedures and plastic surgery, especially with practices taking extra precautions to keep patients and staff safe. It appears that the overwhelming rise in cases of plastic surgery can be traced to a number of reasons, so take a look at what’s causing the spread.The Zoom Boom
During the pandemic, the sudden explosion of video conferencing led to a rapid rise in concerns about the way we looked on camera with family, friends and colleagues. Once people started seeing themselves on Zoom, many weren’t happy with their appearance and wanted to feel good about themselves again. While fuzzy filters and special camera angles may have worked in the beginning, people were sick of tricks and started turning to the experts to tweak, tighten, fill and firm their faces. According to a recent study featured in Facial Plastic Surgery & Aesthetic Medicine, more than 40% of people planned to schedule a facial cosmetic procedure mainly due to how they looked during Zoom video calls.Lockdown Downtime
It’s interesting how before COVID-19, more invasive cosmetic procedures like face-lifts that demand longer recovery times had been declining in favor of less invasive treatments like dermal fillers, Juvéderm, lip augmentation and Botox injections that let you resume your normal routine right away. But now that people have no one to see and no place to go, they have more time to heal in private at home and are taking advantage of this downtime discretion.Recover Under Cover
With everyone staying in, social distancing and covering their faces, more people are coming out for more involved surgical procedures because they’re able to hide any swelling, redness or bruises under masks or work from home. The pandemic has made it possible to recover away from prying eyes so that friends, family and people at work have no idea that you’ve had any work done.Virtual Visits
At plastic surgery practices around the country, in-person consultations were replaced by remote visits virtually overnight. Videoconferencing from the convenience and privacy of home let patients see if a procedure was right for them and allowed doctors to address concerns prior to any treatment. While telemedicine can help patients make decisions about treatment, face-to-face consultations are ultimately needed for a surgeon to confirm if a person is a good candidate for a procedure and make personal recommendations.Test Your Surgeon’s Compliance with COVID-19 Procedures
Today, doctors are under strict orders from the CDC and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons to enforce strict safety and sterilization practices throughout their offices and operating rooms. You need to make sure that your doctor is practicing all of these COVID-19 protocols to see if they’re taking safety seriously:- Pre-screening patients and staff about their health, travel and personal contact with COVID-19 before coming into the office.
- Having patients tested for COVID-19 prior to receiving any treatment.
- Extra checks on patient health prior to the day of surgery or the procedure.
- Ensuring that patients wear masks, have temperature checks and wash their hands upon arrival.
- Most patient forms will be paperless and sent digitally prior to patient arrival. Yet certain consent forms will still need to be completed in the office.
- In some cases, patients will be asked to wait outside or in their cars before being called into the office.
- All patients, doctors and staff will be wearing masks at all times.
