Nose jobs, facelifts and Botox: Demand for plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures soars during COVID-19

There's something hiding behind all those face masks: the marks of fresh facelifts and rhinoplasties.

Demand for plastic surgery and non-surgical cosmetic procedures has soared during the COVID-19 pandemic, as people take advantage of the extra time at home to recover.

When her clinic closed at the end of March, Calgary facial surgeon Kristina Zakhary started doing virtual consultations, and was surprised when the number of people seeking consultations shot up by 300 per cent.

There was a very high demand during those three months that we were closed (from) people who were interested in learning more about cosmetic procedures," she said.

And when the clinic reopened for surgeries three months later, Zakhary had to book extra operating-room time due to a 35-per-cent rise in surgeries - in part because of the backlog of cancelled operations, but also to accommodate her new clients.

There was a big pent-up demand," she said.

Some of the most common procedures have been rhinoplasties (nose jobs) and facelifts, as well as surgical and non-surgical procedures around the eyes, which Zakhary attributes to people focusing more on what's visible when they wear a face mask.

People are also increasingly opting for surgical procedures over non-surgical procedures like fillers, she said, which she believes is an economic decision - they're choosing a long-term solution over something that must be touched up every few months.

Zakhary thinks there are several reasons for the uptick in demand for facial procedures.

For one, she said, often the hardest part of facial surgery is the downtime, but now that people are stuck at home they are taking advantage of it, not needing to book time off work to recover.

People also have more time to research, she said, and virtual consultations have provided a new avenue for those curious about treatments, while at the same time allowing them to explore options outside their immediate areas.

Zakhary also thinks all that teleconferencing is getting to people, who are looking at their own faces for a larger chunk of the day.

The webcam acts as a magnifying mirror" for many people, she explained.

And lastly, she thinks it's because of the lipstick effect": People want a pick-me-up, something to help them feel better during a difficult time.

Zakhary isn't alone - cosmetic surgeons across Canada and North America are seeing demand for their services rise.

Lynn Jeffers, president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, told the New York Times that demand is busier than expected nationwide, though it's unclear yet how much of that is a backlog of patients.

Doctors who spoke to the Times and The Dallas Morning News reported upticks similar to what Zakhary is seeing. And Colleen Nolan, executive director of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, told the Times that patients are getting more invasive procedures than before.

Before COVID-19, patients were going for fillers and Botox because they didn't have any downtime," she said. Now they realize they can have the procedure and privately experience it."

Zakhary said for those looking to get a procedure, whether it's surgical or non-surgical, it's important to do research ahead of time and ask any prospective doctors for before and after pictures.

This is still a medical procedure ... so it's important to do your research, and know that you're having the right doctor for that procedure."

With files from the New York Times and the Dallas Morning News

Rosa Saba is a Calgary-based business reporter for the Star. Follow her on Twitter: @rosajsaba