Zoom screen presence gave residents new look at themselves, plastic surgeons say
Online conference calls for work helped to sustain demand for cosmetic surgery while the UAE coped with months of stay-at-home coronavirus precautions.
Surgeons in Dubai reported an unusual number of requests for procedures last year, driven by what clients regarded as the unflattering reflections they saw during conference calls with colleagues.
“During Zoom calls, not only are you scrutinising your own features, but you are also looking at other people’s faces and comparing yours side by side,” said Dr Nicholas Bennett, a consultant plastic surgeon at Mediclinic Welcare Hospital, in Garhoud.
“We might notice more crow’s feet, facial asymmetry, thinning hair, double chins and much more.”
This gave rise to a surge in bookings for surgical and non- surgical cosmetic treatments, which became known as the Zoom boom, after the ubiquitous teleconference software.
The most commonly requested treatments in Dubai are injections such as Botox, facial and lip fillers and skin resurfacing. An increase in requests for surgery was also reported.
With an increased emphasis on exercise at home, clinics said more people were seeking help with stubborn areas of fat or excess skin on their arms and abdomen after weight loss.
“It will be interesting to see if the increased popularity of cosmetic treatments will continue after the pandemic or whether the Zoom boom will disappear,” said Dr Bennett.
The UAE surge in cosmetic procedures is reflected elsewhere.
The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons reported a 70 per cent increase in requests for online con
sultations during lockdown periods as patients prepared themselves for surgery once restrictions eased.
In the US, surgeons reported a 90 per cent increase in demand for injection procedures compared with the same period in 2019.
Cosmetic specialists in Australia said clinics in Melbourne reported patient numbers were up by 200 per cent, while in the UK one plastic surgery business said demand increased by 520 per cent since June.
The Pall Mall Cosmetics
group performed 10,000 operations last year, with breast augmentation procedures up by 110 per cent.
“Working from home and limitations on going out gave people time to consider plastic surgery privately – that has contributed to demand,” said Dr Sanjay Parashar, founder of the Cocoona clinic in Dubai.
“Every business struggled in 2020, but we saw a very positive outcome.
“The government was efficient in managing the pandemic and we had a shorter lock
down than other countries, allowing businesses to stand back on their feet earlier.
“While the overall demand in the market reduced, the quality of patients we saw was good.
“We could focus more on people who were serious about treatments and our overall conversion went up.”
Home working was a major contributor to the sharp increase in demand for procedures, doctors said, with clients able to recuperate at home afterwards and continue to work. “Sad face” was a common problem doctors were asked to rectify.
Marionette lines, called so in reference to puppets of the same name with downturned mouths, can create a permanently sad expression.
They often develop after the age of 40 and are usually caused by drastic dieting, weight gain or excessive sun exposure.
“These lines or wrinkles run vertically down the sides of your mouth down to your chin, leading to sagging in the lower half of your face, giving you a sad face,” said Dr Majd AlZoughbi, a dermatologist at the Aesthetica Clinic in Dubai.
“People with these lines often get asked why they are feeling sad when they are not.
“Marionette lines alter the way a person looks in a photograph by making them look downcast.”
Treatments such as fractional laser or chemical peels are options, as is the use of radio frequency for tightening skin. In some cases, people choose facelift surgery.
Wearing masks in public as an anti-coronavirus measure disguised post-operative swelling and could have contributed to higher demand.
Doctors said a backlog of appointments made at the height of restrictions when clinics were closed also contributed to busy clinics later on.
“Surgeries like liposuction, tummy tucks, hair transplants and treatments like Botox and fillers continue to be on-trend,” said Dr Parashar.
Clients should wait 15 days after an initial consultation before surgery is considered, he said.
“But we have seen a decline in non-surgical business, such as laser hair removal and facials,” he said.
“Not everyone is comfortable in stepping out of the home for these services and they need to come for multiple sessions. Once a surgery is done, it can’t be undone.”
It will be interesting to see if the increased popularity of treatments continues or whether the boom will disappear
DR NICHOLAS BENNETT Consultant plastic surgeon