‘Zoom dysmorphia’ leads to increase in cosmetic consultations during COVID-19 pandemic
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The shift to video conferencing during the COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative effect on self-perceptions, according to a study presented at AAD VMX 2021.
“Even during the surge of the pandemic when dermatology clinics were closed and we were only seeing patients by telemedicine, we experienced a higher than expected number of cosmetic consultations,” study author A. Shadi Kourosh, MD, MPH, FAAD, assistant professor of dermatology at Harvard Medical School, director of community health in the department of dermatology at Massachusetts General Hospital and director of the Center for Laser Surgery and Aesthetics at Brown Dermatology, told Healio. “When clinics were allowed to reopen, we noticed an uptick in cosmetic consultations or aesthetic consults. We had though that in the setting of a crisis, other more urgent issues might be top of mind, but this was a major concern for many patients.”
The institutional review board-exempted study polled 134 dermatology specialists about cosmetic consultations requested during the pandemic compared with before the pandemic.
An increase in cosmetic consultations was reported by 56.7% of respondents, with 86.4% of providers responding that appearance on video conferencing calls was a reason listed by patients for consultations.
The research group found that front-facing cameras often used for video conferencing on phones and laptops offer distorted images, especially because they are held so close to the face, according to Kourosh.
The large increase in time people spend on these video conferencing platforms confronting their own distorted images, paired with pandemic isolation and an increase in social media use, in which most photos are heavily edited, led to what the researched termed “Zoom dysmorphia.”
“We think all of these factors could have contributed to this disproportionate negative perception of a person’s self-image,” Kourosh said. “We feel it is very important for physicians in the aesthetic community, which includes board-certified dermatologists and plastic surgeons, to be aware of this issue. As stewards of aesthetic medicine and of public health and patient safety and well-being, we need to be aware of this issue and be ready to address all aspects of patient care.”
Providers should be ready to discuss this issue with their patients and offer support of not only aesthetic needs, but also be prepared to offer support or referrals for mental health resources if needed, she said.