The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Aesthetic Procedures

Throughout human history, the appearance of the body has affected the way people perceive themselves and the way they are perceived. Consequently, people have developed ways of changing it to conform to societal standards of beauty. Medical advancements and progress in aesthetic medicine have made beauty more accessible. In modern society, people increasingly think of the body as a “project and process,” making it a long-term investment in social status. Various studies on the relationship between individuals’ personal social status and external appearance have shown the two to be tightly interconnected. The outbreak of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic triggered the widespread use of online meeting platforms, e.g., Zoom, Skype, Teams, etc. This has brought about the “Zoom effect,” individuals’ stronger awareness of their looks, which has raised more interest in aesthetic treatments. Researchers emphasize the positive effect of aesthetic treatments in lifting moods and improving depression. This paper discusses socially-motivated behavior and the effect of individuals’ external appearance on their social status.