Plastic Surgery After COVID: The Impacts
Nearly every business and organization in the United States has been affected, at least in some way, by the COVID-19 pandemic. Plastic surgery practices in San Francisco are no exception.
With the implementation of quarantine measures, increased interest in social distancing, and pervasive concern about the rapid spread of the disease, plastic surgery practices throughout the nation have been forced to make drastic changes.
This is, in part, because plastic surgery of the breast, body and face are largely considered to be elective surgeries. Plastic surgery after coronavirus disease is different than what we knew before.
Let’s take a look at just some of the ways that plastic surgery after coronavirus has changed.
Table of Contents
10 WAYS PLASTIC SURGERY HAS CHANGED SINCE COVID-19
1) FINANCIAL STRAIN FOR MANY PRACTICES BECAUSE OF QUARANTINE
Like other organizations, most plastic surgery practices and surgical centers have had to close their doors to elective procedures, resulting in huge losses in revenue. Surgeons offering elective surgeries were unsure how the pandemic might impact patients.
Previously, even after a slower month, average revenues would balance out from month to month. Now, doctors and their staff are being forced to recover from entire months without a plastic surgery patient.
Naturally, the closure of most practices was necessary due to the inherent dangers present with COVID-19. Elective surgery wasn’t at the top of many people’s minds at the beginning of six weeks of quarantine. Many other businesses experienced the same strains. This doesn’t take away the hardship of lost income for the welfare of our business and employees, however.
2) FURLOUGHING OR FIRING OF EMPLOYEES
Speaking of employees, many practices have had to let staff go due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Even those we could keep on had to be furloughed as we were forced to close our doors for a period of time, during which no one could work.
This has been one of the most difficult and hard-to-accept challenged we’ve faced as a team. Plastic surgery practices across the United States undoubtedly hope to hire back as many employees as possible.
3) MORE PLASTIC SURGEONS NOW OFFERING VIRTUAL CONSULTATIONS
As plastic surgery practices reopen with new laws and regulations from the state, many things have changed. One of the biggest changes we’ve seen has been the implementation of virtual consultations. Some medical practices (such as those of general practitioners, for example) have already used virtual consultations. They have been a highly useful tool for patients who live far from their doctor’s office or who are too sick to come in.
Plastic surgery practices, on the other hand, have not used virtual consultations on a regular basis. Thus, this has been a huge change in our regular routine, and we’re happy to be able to provide the option to our patients.
4) VIRTUAL VISITS ACCEPTED AS REPLACEMENTS FOR INITIAL CONSULTATIONS
As virtual visits become the norm for appointments that don’t require hands-on assistance, they have also replaced initial in-person consultation appointments. Every surgical procedure demands a consultation, virtual visits have become a wonderful new development in helping patients learn before they undergo cosmetic plastic surgery.
For all of our elective surgery procedures — whether invasive or not — we normally prefer to conduct in-person consultation appointments. At these visits, Dr. Sieber can speak with you directly and take a look at the area(s) of your body and/or face that you’d like to improve upon.
Unfortunately, consultation appointments cannot always be performed in person as of late. Thus, online video calls have become the new norm.
5) INCREASED BACKLOGS OF PEOPLE FOR BOTH SURGICAL AND NON-SURGICAL PROCEDURES
Since reopening, we’ve seen a huge influx of new and old customers who are interested in elective surgeries and other procedures. At the same time, however, we were scheduling and rescheduling patients throughout the entire time that we were closed as well.
This has produced a record backlog of both surgical and non-surgical patients. Some individuals have to wait unprecedentedly long periods just to get their first consultation appointment. As far as we know from speaking with other plastic surgeons around the country, this is happening everywhere.
6) NEW PROTOCOLS FOR REOPENING
With the new changes in how to handle patients and medical practices in general, our day-to-day activities have altered quite a bit. We take these changes seriously. Masks are required, and we do as much social distancing as possible.
In some cases (during consultations, routine visits, and surgery, for example) staying six feet away from each other is simply not possible. But we certainly do our best to provide contactless payments, socially distant waiting rooms, and other measures that can help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
7) A SURGE IN REVENUE
Because we’ve now reopened, we’ve gone from having no income to having a huge surge in income. Speaking with many other plastic surgery practices, we’ve heard similar stories of record months in revenue. People are as interested in elective surgeries as ever before.
8) MORE PATIENTS THAN BEFORE BECAUSE OF AN INABILITY TO TRAVEL, COMBINED WITH HIGHER DISPOSABLE INCOMES
Of course, it goes without saying that our list of new patients’ procedures (and new procedures for old patients) has gone up and up. But one of the additional reasons for this is that many people are now forced to stay home, and as such, they’ve found it the perfect time to get plastic surgery. Not only this, but many also have experienced an increase in disposable income.
Counterintuitively, some individuals have had a surge in income, depending on their industry. Of course, without the ability to spend money on things like travel, others are saving more than they’re used to. This, too, has caused our number of patients to rise.
9) INCREASED AWARENESS OF APPEARANCE BECAUSE OF NEW PRACTICES LIKE ZOOM CALLS
One unique thing we’ve specifically noticed about this time of working from home is that things like Zoom calls, FaceTime, and other technologies have made our appearances even more “in our faces.”
When you see yourself every day, time and again (not just in the bathroom mirror), you may begin to see small flaws you’d not noticed before. This new video call practice alone has been responsible for many of the new patients we’ve received in recent weeks.
10) PERSISTING INTEREST IN ELECTIVE SURGERIES
Lastly, despite all these changes, one thing remains: People are still interested in plastic surgery in and around the San Francisco area. Even when our doors were completely closed, patients still inquired about plastic surgery procedures that could make them feel confident and proud of their bodies.
As a double board-certified plastic surgeon who has performed countless elective surgeries for his patients, Dr. Sieber wants to help you look your best as well. Even with the challenges that COVID-19 has presented to our practice, we remain the leading plastic surgery practice in San Francisco.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Is it safe to have surgery right after having Covid?
Whenever undergoing any elective surgery it is natural to evaluate your options and think carefully. While conducting SARS testing, it is essential to delay any surgical procedure until patients have fully recuperated from COVID-19.
In cases where the severity of the COVID-19 condition varies, elective surgery for a symptomatic patient might still be considered.
Can you go under anesthesia with COVID?
ASA, APS F, and similar medical bodies recommend informing anesthesiologists if symptoms continue beyond a 10-day period. Patient refusals to undergo pre-operative COVID-19 tests can present significant health challenges for healthcare providers. These considerations are important for both the symptomatic patient and the asymptomatic patient.
Are you at risk for Covid after elective surgery?
The COVID [-/-] rate for respiratory surgical complications should be 8.4 (with a confidence interval of 4.9-14.4). Undergoing a COVID-19 test before an elective surgery is advised, as it can lead to COVID infections within 30 days post-procedure. We are still learning about coronavirus and the complications to look out for when it comes to a symptomatic patient as well as an asymptomatic patient.
Has plastic surgery increased during COVID?
Prior to the surgical procedure, 54.7% of the participants had previously undergone cosmetic treatments (depicted in Figure 2). The number of cosmetic procedures conducted by physicians at the hospital’s cosmetic surgery clinic experienced a 49.4% increase from 2020 to 2021 and exhibited a 29.7% rise from 2018.
What was the most popular plastic surgery procedure during the coronavirus pandemic?
The prevalence of the COVID-19 pandemic ensured that liposuction retained its position as the most sought-after plastic surgery procedure for yet another year. As per the inaugural ASPS Insights and Trends Report, liposuction was the most commonly sought-after plastic surgery procedure in 2021-22. This trend can be attributed to the increased practice of remote work and reduced social outings.
Has there been an increase in plastic surgery among men during, and since, the coronavirus?
Male individuals comprised 7% of the total cosmetic surgery procedures, marking a significant increase of 118% compared to 2021. Among men, the top five preferred procedures included rhinoplasty (experiencing a 45% increase), chest reduction (surging by 158%), blepharoplasty (rising by 105%), liposuction (increasing by 150%), and otoplasty (ear correction) with a notable upswing of 72%.
What have been the most common procedures for men?
Among the cosmetic treatments sought by men, the most frequently requested have been refreshing eyelid appearance, enhancing the neck’s contour, rhinoplasty (nasal refinement), augmenting the chin’s profile, removing excess fat through liposuction, addressing gynecomastia (reducing male breast tissue).
PLASTIC SURGERY TRENDS DURING CORONAVIRUS
In terms of cosmetic procedures, facial surgeries like facelifts and blepharoplasty accounted for 40%, while different kinds of breast surgery constituted 31.6%. Body contouring interventions, including liposuction, abdominoplasty, and brachioplasty, made up 17.9%, and rhinoplasty accounted for 10.5%. Plastic surgery trends during the coronavirus tracks along with general trends we see among plastic surgery cases.
WORLDWIDE PLASTIC SURGERY TRENDS
Plastic surgery patients are opting for elective surgery with confidence. The most significant spikes in interest have been observed in the United States, India, and Mexico. These findings offer valuable insights for plastic surgeons, aiding them in determining the procedures to prioritize. Additionally, this information can guide their decisions regarding investments in country-specific devices or technologies.
PLASTIC SURGERY AFTER COVID
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a notable surge in worldwide attention towards a wide array of plastic surgery procedures. This trend is particularly prominent for nonsurgical treatments and facial plastic surgery. While there have been many adjustments that have sent shocks through world of plastic surgery, there have also been many new developments that benefit patient and surgeon alike.
INTERESTED IN PLASTIC SURGERY?
Now’s the perfect time to invest in plastic surgery that can improve your appearance and provide you with the confidence you’ve been craving.
Dr. Sieber Plastic Surgery of San Francisco offers a wide range of procedures and services to meet your needs. Specifically, Dr. Sieber focuses on cosmetic and reconstructive surgery of the breast, body, and face.
Ready to get started? We’re ready to speak with you! Contact us today to schedule your initial consultation appointment!
