Here, we’re reporting on the recent demand for cosmetic treatments amidst a pandemic.
“People want surgery so bad right now it’s crazy,” he says.
when you subtract sensationalism and really drill down, the phenomenon isn’t all that surprising.
Illustration by Bella Geraci
“When we opened back up in May, people were beating down the doors to get in.”
Is the pandemic our new normal in the upside-down somehow whetting our appetites for cosmetic procedures?
Beauty in Crisis
Maybe.
Our livelihoods were threatened, routines upended, rituals disregarded, and relationships tested.
Suffice it to say: We, the people, have been really freaking stressed and it shows.
Our skyrocketing cortisol levels and mandatoryface coveringshave fueled an inescapablemaskneepidemic.
“No one has ever really looked at themselves in this way for this long or this frequently.”
Our physical appearances are hello, microcosm in crisis.
Is it any wonder cosmetic doctors have been inundated?
It took little more than a governmental nod to throw pop pop the floodgates, primed as they were.
And who doesn’t need a little pick-me-up right now?
“Investing in ourselves is a way to regain some semblance of control.”
“Are we going to see a second peak?
Are we going to have another shutdown?
I think people feel that this is their chance.”
Doctors say patients are more ravenous than usual.
Particularly when you frame these fixes as a worthy self-investment.
“Plastic surgery is more artisanal craftsmanship than a scalable commodity,” Devgan notes.
“Are we going to see a second peak?
Are we going to have another shutdown?
I think people feel that this is their chance.”
“I’ve even had patients take helicopters in from out East or Connecticut.”
The Hottest Pandemic Procedures?
(Hint: All of Them)
So which procedures have garnered the most interest?
Butface coveringshaven’t dampened the demand for other fixes.
“But there have been so many people coming in for lip and jaw injections.”
Ortiz is seeing this in practice, too.
“Patients still want lip filler,” she says.
It’s more to make yourself feel better."
Necks have also captured our attention.
“Patients are able to be more compliant with post-procedure instructions.”
Prior to COVID-19, convincing patients to avoid the sun following laser procedures was a struggle.
Now I’m doing seven or eight a week."
She attributes the rise to yet another pandemic-propelled trend the significant spike in Black patients seeking her services.
She credits theracial justice movementand outpouring of support for Black businesses (among other things) with the deluge.
“In our community, beauty is an even complexion, a clear skin tone,” Davis adds.
Again, it helps that “the recovery situation is on our side” right now.
“There’s a direct link between what we see in the mirror and how we feel.”
Which brings us back to WFH.
More downtime-heavy tweaks extreme resurfacing procedures and real-deal plastic surgery require a bit more ingenuity.
