Robert M. Wald, Jr., MD - The Aesthetic Institute
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How Working From Home Is Fueling a Desire for Plastic Surgery

6 Minute Read: 

A woman working from her kitchen island

Despite the fact that the pandemic has been disastrous to the majority of people in the world, there are a few industries that prospered during that time. You might’ve heard the statistic that the number of people seeking plastic surgery increased in the last couple of years, and it’s completely accurate. 

It might seem random at first look, but the story is much more complicated in reality. 

In this article, we will try to uncover all the variables that could’ve led to this and answer the still present question of how working from home is fueling a desire for plastic surgery.

Plastic Surgery as a Growing Trend

For the past few decades, plastic surgery has been booming. Celebrities in all industries have been seeking plastic surgery and similar treatments for ages and for many different reasons. 

Some were looking for a way to fix what they perceived was a “flaw.” The others were trying to correct the “flaws” that the public and media pointed out to them, while the rest were just doing it to look and feel better. While all of those reasons are equally valid and understandable nowadays, they weren’t as acceptable in the past. 

Many celebrities hid the fact that they had facelifts or similar surgeries from the public. They even claimed different “miracle cures” or habits that helped them get rid of wrinkles.

A woman getting Botox injections.

While plastic surgery has been around for a long time, it has only stopped being taboo in recent decades.

“Normalizing” Plastic Surgery

While plastic surgery used to be considered somewhat taboo and shameful in the past, things have changed drastically in recent years. 

Pop culture and social media have influenced a new generation of people who are proud of their cosmetic improvements and open about them. Many currently popular influencers and celebrities are transparent with their audiences about all the work they have done in the past. They sometimes even share the information of the doctor who did their rhinoplasty, gave them BOTOX® Cosmetic injections, etc. 

While there are still people who are critical of celebrities promoting surgeries and cosmetic procedures, most can agree that the fact that they are open about it is an improvement. 

By openly stating they had cosmetic procedures done, celebrities and influencers can help “normalize” these kinds of treatments. Moreover, while being open about it, they’re also raising awareness about the unattainable beauty standards nowadays, which is another critical issue. 

All of this can make people who were skeptical about plastic surgery overcome their skepticism and decide to take a leap and have some work done. It can help them feel better and no longer ashamed about the surgery they want.

The Zoom Effect Fueling a Desire for Plastic Surgery

After we looked at some broader cultural effects that led to the popularization of plastic surgery, it’s time to focus back on our question: how exactly is working from home fueling a desire for plastic surgery. 

The answer might not be what you’re expecting, but in many cases, it can be reduced to a single word: Zoom. 

According to experts at portabox.com, the pandemic and working from home made many people want to redecorate their homes and optimize their storage space. A part of this was to have a better-looking zoom background in meetings. 

But Zoom’s effect isn’t limited to this. Zoom also made a lot of people question their appearance and consider plastic surgery. Many people went from simply glancing at themselves while washing their hands during toilet breaks to suddenly staring at their image on a screen for hours each day when they switched to online work and meetings. 

After some time, the things they perceived as “flaws” started bothering them more and more, and, suddenly, they couldn’t see past their “flaws.” They needed to get it fixed.

A woman using a computer that is fueling a desire for plastic surgery

Looking at yourself for long periods of time can cause you to see flaws that aren’t really there, fueling a desire for plastic surgery

An Abundance of Free Time

So, plastic surgery is “normalized,” and after staring at their reflection on the screen for hours, people become obsessed with the idea of improving their appearance. This alone still doesn’t wholly explain the massive number of people who went through with it. 

Even before the pandemic, many people thought about surgery but never gave it a second thought. What makes things different is that during the pandemic, those who thought about plastic surgery usually had enough time to research everything about it and consider it more seriously than ever before. They had hours to read all the popular online blogs and experiences. This helped them get informed about the subject enough to go through with it.

The Ideal Timing

Another way working from home could have affected the popularity of plastic surgery is by providing people with enough time to discreetly heal after surgery. Those working from home no longer feared showing up to work only days after they had injectable fillers or other work done, with visible scarring or swelling. 

Working from home allowed them privacy without the questioning eyes of other co-workers. Moreover, if they ever decide to go in public, they can always wear a mask to hide their face.

A man using three computers in his home office.

With the number of people working from home decreasing, we can only guess that the number of cosmetic surgeries will decrease too.

The Pros and Cons of Working From Home

Although most people agree that the pandemic is near its end, many still choose to work from home. The debates about working from the office vs. working from home are ongoing, but there will never be a clear winner. 

It’s all up to personal preference. While some people love the peace and quiet of working from their home office, others love getting ready and even commuting to their office building.

When it comes to working from home, one of the most important tips most people point out is to have a well-organized office. It’s important to feel like you’re on the job even when working from home. Otherwise, if you don’t have a drastic change from “working” mode to “non-working” mode, you will feel like you’re always on the job and never have time to rest. 

A great way to get in the zone is to always work from your home office. If your home office is small, you can find various tips online on maximizing space while working from home and how to create more space or declutter your home office.

Final Thoughts

Plastic surgery and other cosmetic treatments have seen an enormous boost, especially in the past few days. Although it might seem strange at first glance, it makes total sense that working from home is fueling a desire for plastic surgery at the moment. However, as more and more companies switch back to the on-site model, who knows what will happen in the future and if this trend will continue or die out. 

Dr. Wald Looks forward to
helping you reach your
cosmetic goals.
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Robert Wald, MD
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Fullerton, CA 92835


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