Canadian cosmetic surgeons say business is up during the COVID-19 pandemic

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — When you’re on a video chat, how much time so you spend looking into the camera or the other person, versus looking at yourself?

Canada’s cosmetic industry says they’re seeing a swell in interest for procedures and it appears the pandemic may be playing a roll.

Meran Madani is one of the co-founders of Arion Skin Laser Clinic in Vancouver. He says they expected business to drop during the pandemic.

Instead, he’s seeing increased interest in everything from weight loss and body contouring, to laser resurfacing, micro-needling and injections.

“They have more time at home and they’re working from home, so more time to have a procedure with down time. They’re in front of the camera so they’re noticing problems like wrinkles, scars, hair loss, everything.”

Also, the procedures that seem to be getting the most inquiries are the ones typically associated with the most down time.

Before the pandemic, clients had to take a long weekend or a holiday.

“They can spend the time at home, or imagine people who are doing lip fillers and they can just cover with a mask while there’s bruising.”

And it’s not just BC, according to Dr. Mathew Mosher, the President of the Canadian Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the COVID nip-tuck trend appears to be on the rise across the country.

“Throw into that the whole issue of not spending discretionary income on anything else like travel and people are thinking maybe this is the time.”

Mosher also believes the pandemic has given people thinking about going under the knife a chance to do it since people working from home can incorporate their recovery into their new normal.

“…and if the recovery is for some of the easier procedures, where there isn’t a lot of down time, people can continue to meet their work commitments and heal up at home.”

And he says living in the age of the smartphone may also be nudging our culture to look closer at how ready we are to be photographed or recorded on short notice.

“People have unconsciously over the last 10 years gotten used to you know, holding the phone a little higher and thinking about the lighting and those kinds of things.”

And for those thinking of a little pandemic touch-up, Dr. Mosher does have advice.

“Don’t get caught up in the trends and make decisions hastily. There’s still time to get good information and make sure it’s actually the right time for you.”