Don’t race to change Zoom face
Maria Croce hears medics warn against hasty procedures
AESTHETICS doctors are urging people to be cautious about rushing to change their appearance because they’re disappointed with their “Zoom face”.
Many people are zooming in on their flaws thanks to the rise in video calls, with some clinics reporting an increase in inquiries about procedures to improve facial features.
But Glasgow-based Dr Darren McKeown has urged caution.
He said: “The Zoom face is a thing but as doctors we need to be really careful with that. The mental health of the country has been adversely affected by this whole lockdown.
“People are stressed and out of sorts and this is not a good time to be making big decisions. If someone was happy with their appearance before lockdown and isn’t happy after lockdown, now is not the time to consider changing their appearance.
“Doctors involved in aesthetic practices need to be careful in the psychological assessment of patients. If someone has had concerns about their appearance for a long time and lockdown has given them the opportunity to research it a bit more, that could be OK.
“But if someone has never thought about transforming their appearance in the past and seeing themselves from unflattering angles in Zoom is tempted to impulsively go out and have a cosmetic procedure, I would advise against that.”
Dr Darren hopes to re-open his Aesthetic
Medicine Institute tomorrow if First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announces a move to phase two of lockdown easing. But it will only be open for medical procedures – cosmetic work will need to wait until phase three.
Experts at the Transform Hospital Group have reported video conferencing calls being linked to a rise in people wanting cosmetic surgery consultations.
There was a 71 per cent rise in consultations from April to May as lockdown continued, with an increase in requests for procedures such as rhinoplasty.
Dr Asher Siddiqi, medical aesthetic expert at the group, cautioned: “Seeing our faces on screens isn’t an exact reflection of our appearance in the ‘real world’, particularly when it can be easily distorted through an unflattering camera angle or poor lighting.”