How the Working from Home Era is Upping the Ante for Facial Surgeries

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, did it change the way you work? Did you trade your morning commute and business attire for a desk at home and fuzzy slippers? The Pew Research Center found that at one point during the pandemic, a whopping 71% of survey respondents were working at home—a 50% increase from pre-pandemic numbers. Curiously, working from home has led to another increase in the number of patients seeking cosmetic procedures. In this article, your Ivy League-educated plastic surgeon in Manhattan, Dr. B. Aviva Preminger explains this phenomenon.

Reasons to seek plastic surgery during the pandemic

The coronavirus forced many plastic surgeons to close their doors or offer emergency services only for months. That changed when local restrictions on elective surgery were eased. According to the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS), a 2020 survey of member plastic surgeons indicated that 7 out of 10 surgeons had seen a significant increase in both procedures and bookings. Why would this happen, especially if people spent so much more time at home than being out in the world? Let’s explore some of the reasons.

Take a look at yourself – When you work from home, in-person meetings get replaced by conference calls, which in this day and age usually means hopping on a program such as Zoom for a video conference. Rather than spend a few minutes in front of the mirror before leaving for work, people are spending upwards of eight hours a day potentially looking at their own faces on a screen. This isn’t like taking a selfie or posing for effect. You’re seeing yourself as you truly are and as others see you. There may be aspects of your appearance that you now find bothersome or troublesome. That leads to plastic surgery procedures to correct those problems, such as facelifts, brow lifts, and neck lifts.

Time off is easier – Undergoing plastic surgery or even a non-surgical procedure to address aesthetic concerns usually means some amount of recovery time. If you’re already working from home, having plastic surgery may be easier because you can continue to keep pace on the job from the comfort of your couch or bed. Looking at a procedure with minimal recoveries, such as a nose job? You can keep working from home, even if it means shutting off your camera for a few days.

The eyes matter – We all probably are used to wearing masks when we go out, which means that you’re used to looking at people’s eyes when they talk. The eyes and the forehead become focal points when wearing a mask because that is all that is visible. You might be self-conscious about your eyes and forehead where they are more prominent; on the other hand, non-surgical treatment such as a dermal filler could limit the range of expression, making plastic surgery a better choice to create a younger appearance without sacrificing any range of expression or motion.

Stress – Ever hear the saying, “May you live in interesting times?” Well, no matter where you live, things certainly have not been dull since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March of 2020. Stress can accelerate signs of aging, and in these times of collective and individual trauma, you’re not alone if you’re seeing significant evidence of aging in the past year and a half due to stress. Plastic surgery in Manhattan allows you to turn back the clock and reclaim ownership of your appearance.

Facial Plastic Surgery in Manhattan

Don’t let the pandemic stand in the way of you making desired changes to your appearance. This actually may be the perfect time for you to schedule your long-awaited plastic surgery. Whether you’re interested in a facelift in New York City or want to explore your options for a brow lift in Manhattan, Dr. B. Aviva Preminger and the team at Preminger Plastic Surgery are here to help. Dr. Preminger is Ivy League-educated, board-certified, and can perform many procedures from the comfort of her boutique-style office on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Ready to take the next step? Call (212) 706-1900 today to schedule your consultation.