Cosmetic procedures are becoming more popular in Chattanooga, a result of the ‘Zoom Boom’

From Botox to butt lifts, people looking to turn back the clock now have more options than ever. Who could have guessed that a pandemic would make Americans more conscious of their appearance? Masks cover mouths and cheeks and put an emphasis on the eyes. Zoom meetings bring wrinkles front and center. Thus a little Botox around the eyes and some filler under the eyes and along the forehead have waiting rooms filled with anxious patients looking to erase the effects of time.

According to the latest annual statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, nearly $16.7 billion was spent on cosmetic procedures in the U.S. in 2020. The poll also revealed that 11% of women surveyed said they are more interested in cosmetic plastic surgery or non-surgical procedures, such as Botox, now than before COVID-19 – and the figure is even higher among women who have already had surgery or a procedure and are well-versed in its after-effects.

Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. James Shire of Shire Facial Plastic Surgery on Shallowford Road says there are several reasons behind the increase in those wanting to say good riddance to laugh lines and that four-lane highway traveling across their foreheads.

First, he says, people working from home have more control over their time, allowing them to do things during the day that, when working in an office, limited a lot of daytime appointments and other activities.

“Second,” he says, “they have more disposable income because they have not been spending money on items such as vacations, clothing and other luxury items. Finally, since they are spending a lot of time on Zoom and other media, they are more critical of their appearance.”

Dr. Art vonWerssowetz, a board-certified plastic surgeon at Premier Medical Aesthetics in North Chattanooga, offers a fourth reason for the increased interest in cosmetic procedures.

“COVID has brought out a lot of people who wanted surgeries but couldn’t be away from people and work to recover, so they seized the opportunity to stay home and recover,” he says. “It’s similar to all the remodeling and building projects that have boomed.”

Julie Kouchoukos had her first appointment with Shire five years ago. She’d just turned 60 and was looking for a way to slow down the aging process by reducing a sagging neck and wrinkles. One neck lift later, along with a regiment of Botox and fillers, and her self-confidence is back.

“I was not happy with the way my face was looking,” she says. “I felt I looked older than how I felt on the inside, and that I looked ‘sad’ all the time. I felt like that’s all anyone saw when they looked at me. I was extremely self-conscious of how I looked.”

The pandemic hasn’t slowed down her quest for youth.

“I see Dr. Shire on a regular basis for maintenance,” she says. And it’s not just her.

“There’s been an increase in patients requesting treatment for tired-looking eyes and heavy brows,” Shire says. “We’ve had a lot of patients come in for fillers and Botox because when they remove their masks, they have increased concerns around their mouths.”

And as the pandemic marches on, the age of patients inquiring about Botox and other fillers is getting younger, Shire believes, because of increased exposure to social media and self-imposed peer pressure.

Millennial and local architect Anne Butler recently had her first appointment at Premier Medical Aesthetics for a little Botox around her eyes. Time spent on Zoom meetings while working from home for so many months convinced her it was time, she says.

“Seeing my face on the screen has been definitely eye-opening,” she adds.

Hariett Stafford of Revive Aesthetics and Lasers, says because of the pandemic, business is brisk at her spa on Gunbarrel Road.

“We’ve seen an increase in appointment requests over the last year,” she says. “More people are trying Botox and fillers for the first time. Our clients love the results of undereye filler. And mask-wearing has certainly not interfered with our most popular cheek and lip fillers.”

With the Botox boom, appointments are hard to come by. Shire’s office is currently booking new-patient consultations four weeks out. Established patients are having to wait up to three weeks for an appointment, and it takes almost two months to secure a time for surgeries.

And like so many things, the supply chain has made it more difficult to get products needed for many of the procedures.

“Additionally, the prices have been going up continually from the early days of the pandemic and only seems to be getting worse,” Shire says.