"Lockdown Face," People Going Under The Knife, Increases Amidst Pandemic

The coronavirus pandemic has caused lockdowns worldwide which resulted in more and more people working remote hours at home and staring at their own faces while participating in video calls. This can lead to people analyzing and criticizing their appearances more.

Ashton Collins, director of Save Face, said the "Lockdown Face" has become a thing. It is a phenomenon where people don't get access to their usual skincare routine or beauty treatments resulting in different skin issues.

Being referred to as the 'Zoom Boom', the pandemic lockdown has seen a surge in bookings for surgical and non-surgical treatment. These were based on reports from cosmetic doctors and plastic surgeons all around the world, including Australia, the US, UK, Japan, and South Korea.

Dr. Suneel Chilukuri, a board-certified dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon in Houston, thought there would be a significant slowdown in this line of business due to the increased unemployment rate associated with COVID-19, as well as the fear for getting this type of surgery, not to mention the difficulty for patients to see doctors in person. But according to a survey conducted by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), 49% of respondents said they are open to having cosmetic or reconstructive procedures in the future which was very surprising.

(Photo: pixabay)

Perceptual Distortion

The most popular post-lockdown non-surgical procedures are those done from the neck up. Dr. Jill Owen, the psychologist from The British Psychological Society, warned that the version we see on screen during conference calls can be deceiving and a reality that is distorted. Factors such as the angle, lighting, and limitations of the camera on various devices can make our features appear distorted, which will appear unfamiliar to the video caller as it may be different from the version that they see usually on a picture or a mirror.

Dr. Munir Somji, a cosmetic doctor at London's Dr. MediSpa Clinic, said that there is an increase in men requesting for hair transplants, which may be the result of spending too much time looking at their hair during video calls. According to Somji, hair is going to appear thinner when you're in a well-lit room and looking at a Zoom call. Most men also cannot have their usual hair cut due to the lockdown, the resulting long hair can also appear thinner on video calls.

All these distorted perceptions of self are making people become obsessed with their image and focusing on a fault until it becomes magnified according to Owen.

Despite many states requiring facemasks to be worn in public, cosmetic experts reported that aside from requests for upper eyelid lifts, brow lifts, and non-surgical neck lifts, which are what is expected, lip injections are also as popular as ever. Cosmetic surgeries like 'neck rejuvenation' and 'jawline contouring' are also gaining popularity as people spend more time focusing on those areas of their body.

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Maintain Positive Body Image

The concept of beauty can be seen everywhere, but it is important to still maintain a realistic view. For people who are considering cosmetic surgery with self-image issues, it is advisable to talk first with a therapist as this may be a symptom of a more serious issue. Studies have shown that while cosmetic surgery can increase the self-esteem of a person, it does not solve the underlying psychological issue.

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