2020 has been about staying locked up in the house, working from home, Zoom calls and meetings, and basically doing everything in virtual mode.
My Zoom calls are about joining the meeting in a nightsuit, with food in my hand, keeping the video and audio off. In the worst of cases, I only switch on the audio to say yes or no.
When my professors ask all of us to switch on our cameras, I give excuses like my WiFi is not working or that my camera is faulty. The camera highlights my double chin, which I am obviously not proud of.
While I have the privilege of getting away with it, many working professionals have no choice but to switch on the camera in virtual meetings. It has led to a rise in the demand for plastic surgery, as people want to look good in video calls.
Zoom Dysmorphia – The Culprit Behind Spike In Plastic Surgery Demand
Although we are supposed to see others, we get distracted by the thumbnail that shows us. We tend to focus more on our physical and facial flaws in video calls – an obsessive disorder called Zoom Dysmorphia.
In the process of continuously looking at our minute features, our flaws seem to get highlighted. The way we perceive ourselves has changed.
Nose build and wrinkles are the biggest concerns of people when they see themselves on Zoom, as per a paper published in the journal Facial Plastic Surgery & Aesthetic Medicine.
“Perhaps there is a recent surge in patients seeking cosmetic procedures simply because they now see their imperfections on camera daily, or because the wrinkles they see on screen make them look more depressed to others and feel more depressed themselves,” the study elaborated.
Earlier, we used to see ourselves in the mirror a couple of times a day. Now, we view ourselves most of the day on video and compare our looks with others present on the call. Thus, the increased demand for plastic surgery.
Read More: #IAmUgly Campaign Urging People To Post Their Ugly/Imperfect Pictures Online Evokes Mixed Reactions
Zoom Boom
While clicking selfies, we have an option of applying filters and see the version that we like. Zoom shows us the unedited look that many of us do not feel comfortable with.
The hike in demand for surgical and non-surgical treatments is referred to as the “Zoom Boom” by surgeons and experts. Unlike conventional plastic surgery that was mainly used by women, Zoom Boom has seen both men and women registering for such treatments.
The surge was unexpected, keeping in mind the expenditure of such procedures and the economic state of the general public.
“When we opened back up in May, people were beating down the doors to get in,” says DiAnne Davis, a board-certified dermatologist in Dallas. Most requests are for chemical peels, arm liposuction, and cellulite treatments.
Neck rejuvenation, botox injections, and jawline contouring procedures are also high in demand.
Is Zoom Boom Something New?
The increase in cosmetic surgery demand owing to how one perceives themselves on camera is not new. Earlier, it was called “Snapchat Dysmorphia” wherein people got overly conscious of their looks based on how they view themselves in Snapchat selfies.
Zoom Boom is somewhat the continuation of that trend. Selfies and social media harm one’s perception of themselves.
“Webcams, inevitably recording at shorter focal lengths, tend to produce an overall more rounded face, wider set eyes, and broader nose,” said Shauna M Rice from Massachusetts General Hospital.
The lighting, angle, and webcam limitations do not show your face exactly the way it is. The forehead can look broader, the smile can look a little skewed, among many other things.
Hence, it is vital to realize that a webcam never shows us the true version of ourselves. It may be unfiltered, but it is still not real. So, the best we can do is embrace our Zoom faces.
Sources: News18, BBC, Gulf News +more
Image Sources: Google Images
Find The Blogger: @TinaGarg18
This post is tagged under: plastic surgery, zoom boom, increase in plastic surgery demand, zoom dysmorphia, snapchat dysmorphia, selfie dysmorphia, self-conscious, body positivity, zoom calls, facial features, physical appearance, lack of self-confidence, virtual meetings, impact of COVID on how a person perceives themselves, why is there an increase in plastic surgery demand amidst covid, why do people want cosmetic surgical treatments in lockdown
Other Recommendations:
We Can’t Always Blame The Society For Toxic Beauty Standards, Gender Roles & Biases
