Virtual meetings have brought along a different level of anxiety these pandemic months. While work from home has been the way forward for many, the conscious mind is always pondering – is the skin appearing to be too oily? Is the double chin too very visible? Is the skin not looking very clear and the acne visible?
Reportedly, a recent study in the journal Facial Plastic Surgery and Aesthetic Medicine has stated that the lockdown has seen a significant increase in the number of plastic surgeries in the US.
What does the India scenario look like?
In a time where we do not upload or share pictures without filters, virtual meetings have worked as just another mirror. It has been observed that for some individuals, this has further affected their self-confidence and has caused anxiety. And, virtual meetings are all about the face, neck and ears. Since the focus is on the face, a dull or unhealthy skin tends to affect the self-confidence as well.
A trending term in the new normal is Zoom Dysmorphia, a disorder that involves obsessive focus on a perceived flaw in body appearance. And reports reveal that this has led to record numbers in people opting for plastic surgery in the US. However, this has not be a first-of-its-kind scenario. As an IANS report has been quoted online, patients used selfies and an arsenal of photo editing apps to create filtered versions of themselves. Dubbed ‘Snapchat dysmorphia’, patients wanted to look more like their edited selves and this led to a huge concern for its potential to trigger body dysmorphic disorder.
According to secondary sources, people are critically analysing their features and are not as reluctant as before to spend on skincare products or visit a dermatologist. There have been several concerns on the double chin being visible in these virtual calls. And there has been a significant increase in patients opting for cryolipolysis during the lockdown.