Trend Watch - Cosmetic Surgery Before Heading Back to the Office

As the workforce continues to return to the office since the start of the pandemic, plastic surgeons across the United States are reporting increases in patient numbers. They are also sharing the news that patients who are in the office on a regular basis, or taking part in a hybrid work situation, are looking to have treatments such as Botox and fillers as well as chemical peels and laser procedures that rejuvenate the skin.

Nose Job Thanks to the Pandemic

In an interview with the New York Post, one investment bank worker said she finally made the decision to have the nose job she has always desired. The 39-year-old kept putting off the procedure because her family and friends always insisted that she looked fine. Once the pandemic had her working at home, she made the decision to have rhinoplasty.

The worker told the newspaper, “I just wanted to finally fix it.” She spent $11,500 on the procedure and was able to recover at home without having to take time off work. “I got paid for the day. I literally told my boss the night before, ‘I’ll be out for a few hours. I have a doctor’s appointment.’”

When she returned to the office in October, most of her colleagues could not identify the difference in her appearance. “I notice some of them look and stare because they see something is different, but they can’t put their finger on it. They say, ‘Your look great. You look amazing. Did you lose weight?’” The rhinoplasty patient is happy with her results and says she feels better about her appearance.

A Brighter Smile While Working at Home

A 49-year executive coach did not waste time at the start of the pandemic when it came to improving the look of his mouth. The patient told the newspaper that he spent $25,000 on handmade, custom porcelain veneers for his top teeth. He also reported that his bottom teeth are scheduled to be treated in the near future.

“I used to be able to hide behind the mask, but now that we’re not wearing them anymore, I can’t.” Even though he was not too excited about the idea of spending the extra money on his bottom teeth, the improved look of his top teeth convinced him to make the investment in his appearance.

“Now that I’m going to be part-time in the office, I said, ‘Let me fix the bottom teeth.’”

A Lift in Appearance and Self-Esteem

A 30-year-old female resident in Chelsea says the people in her office can tell a difference in her appearance but they can’t quite name what is different about her look.

At the beginning of this year, she started to take part in an increased number of in-person meetings with clients. The increased time spent meeting with clients motivated her to undergo an upper lip procedure she had often considered in the past.

“I had lip filler in the past and it didn’t give me the lift I was looking for. This is something I’ve been wanting for a while --- it’s a problem area that’s a little elongated and I’m front and center in front of people all day.”

The procedure was performed to shorten the distance between the upper lip and nose, and she was able to wear a mask to protect from COVID-19 and also hide the fact cosmetic surgery was performed on her lips. Now that mask mandates are being lifted, she is enjoying showing off the results. In addition, she has climbed from 30th to 14th in nationwide rankings of the sales reps of her company. “I can’t say it’s just from this [lip lift], but I do think when you’re more confident and you feel better, it just puts you in a better mood that makes a huge difference.”

Post-Pandemic Cosmetic Surgery

Now that many states have reduced or eliminated their mask mandates, the thought of cosmetic surgery is once again growing in popularity among the public. Anyone that is interested in undergoing a procedure needs to take their time and perform proper research before making a final decision about having a treatment.

The first step is learning as much as possible about the desired procedure. This can be achieved by a combination of online research, chatting with family and friends that had the surgery in the past and scheduling a consultation appointment with a cosmetic surgeon.

The consultation appointment is the opportunity for the patient to ask any questions they have about the procedure in person and get the answers directly from the doctor. It is also an opportunity for the patient to address any concerns they have about the treatment so they can put their mind at ease. If the cosmetic surgeon is not able or willing to answer any of the questions asked by the patient, that is a good indication that the surgeon might not be the right choice to perform the procedure.

- MA