After almost a year where most American offices went unused, experts are noticing an unexpected side effect from all those online meetings. It appears that prolonged exposure to seeing yourself in that tiny box during video calls is inspiring a sudden uptick in plastic surgery.

The plastic surgery industry is booming during the coronavirus pandemic, largely due to the increase in the number of virtual meetings offered through Zoom and other video web services.

Call it the “Zoom boom.”

The interest in cosmetic surgery is boosting appointments for Botox, lip fillers and other plastic surgery procedures that help people feel more attractive on computer screens, according to Dr. Maria Helena Lima, an assistant professor of Surgery for the Section of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University.

“In the last few months, there has been a jump in the number of patients wanting plastic surgery procedures,” said Lima. “We have discovered that when people are in Zoom meetings, they should be listening to the content and paying attention to what’s going on, but they’re not.”

Lima says participants are oftentimes looking at themselves on the screen and wondering what could be done to alter their image.

It is a trend that offers up some interesting questions:

• Along with the Zoom boom, are there other reasons people are opting to go under the knife for an elective procedure?

• Are there long-term consequences to these decisions?

• What do patients need to know first to avoid any safety or health issues?

There’s a lot to know about this topic, and if you are a journalist looking to learn more, then let us help with your coverage.

Dr. Maria Helena Lima is one of the nation’s leading plastic surgeons with 12 years of experience specializing in aesthetic plastic surgery, facial reconstruction and craniofacial pediatric plastic surgery. She is available to speak with media about this emerging trend. Simply click on her name now to arrange an interview today.