Corona Daily 358: Face under a Knife

In these coronavirus times, despite economies crashing, companies going bust, one business is booming extraordinarily – Cosmetic Surgery. Facelift, necklift, rhinoplasty (nose job), breast enhancement, tummy tuck, skin removal, you name it. At the start of the lockdown, elective surgeries were disallowed as being non-essential. Since May, in most countries, they have restarted. Most surgeons are unable to cope with the demand. In the USA, South Korea, Japan, Australia, plastic surgeons are booked at least till the end of September.

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One key reason is the Zoom calls. In face-to-face meetings, we used to look at people we were talking to. Now Zoom participants spend most of the time observing themselves on the screen. The crooked teeth, shapeless nose, double chin, slumped shoulders, loose flesh, wrinkles shock them. It is known that the chin looks ten times worse on an iphone. Our self-image is much refined than the real thing. People unhappy at their Zoom image now have more time to research the cosmetic surgeons in their locality.

The second important reason is the ability to get operated secretly, and recover secretly. Nobody outside your house needs to know. After the surgery, on the road, you can cover the bruises and swellings with a mask. And locked up in the house, you can recover in peace.

In the USA, cosmetic surgery is not covered by insurance. A full body makeover including face, tummy and breasts costs $25000, an eyelid surgery $3300, and breast lift or enhancement $10000. Patients are diverting funds from what they have saved on travel, concerts, restaurants, malls and gas.

Patients who have gained 10-20 pounds in the lockdown are asking the surgeon: Along with doing my breasts, could you please do a little lipo? Rhinoplasty (nose job) operations are the most popular. They are doubling faster than the corona cases.

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Earlier, majority of the patients were in the 35-50 age group. Now 18-34 are also rushing for face and body alteration. Apple has an app called “Facetune”. It allows the user to alter the size and shape of her nose, lips, eyebrows, jaw line. In 2017, it was Apple’s most popular app, downloaded 20 million times. A study found that young men and women were more likely to consider cosmetic surgery just one week after using the app. Snapchat, Instagram and the obsession with selfies have all contributed to the cosmetic surgery boom. “Snapchat dysmorphia” is when patients bring their app-altered selfies to surgeons to illustrate the desired changes in real life.

Women still account for a majority of the treatments, almost 91%. For them the most popular treatments are breast augmentation, neck lifts, facelifts, and eyelid surgery. But men are no longer shy, particularly in pandemic times. They go for breast reduction, nose jobs and eyelid surgeries.

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Cosmetic surgeries are not always safe, and rarely everlasting. During my career as an interpreter, I was once working with a renowned Russian superstar whose facelift malfunctioned. One of his eyes became visibly narrower than the other. We spent a frantic week trying to get it repaired.

If someone simply wants to renovate their face for Zoom calls, there is a safer and cheaper way. Zoom has a filter called “touch up my appearance”. It smooths any wrinkles and spots on your skin. Without spending obscene money, you will look much younger on the Zoom screen.

Ravi