Growth in Plastic Surgery Prevalence during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Goals/Purpose: While popular media has cited an increase in plastic surgery interest as a result of the COVID pandemic, there is little data to support this hypothesis. The goal of this study was to examine if there was a significant increase in plastic surgery during the pandemic, examining both injectable and surgical treatments. This study also investigated demographic shifts or changes in proportion of body regions treated before and during the pandemic.

Methods/Technique: Data was obtained from a group plastic surgery private practice with 3 surgeons in Lutherville, MD regarding injectable and surgical treatments administered in the practice between June to December 2019 (pre-Covid) and June to December 2020 (Covid). Data collection included age, gender, insured vs cosmetic coverage, as well as which regions were surgically treated (face/neck, breast and body). Injectable fillers and neurotoxins were also counted.

Results/Complications: Surgical patients treated rose from 668 to 766 from the pre-Covid to Covid period. Average age of surgical patients dropped from 43.8 years (range 14 to 83 years), to 41.2 years (range 13 to 83 years). Male:female surgical numbers pre-Covid were 32 (4.8%):635 (95.2%); and during Covid, 43 (5.6%):723 (94.4%). Facial procedures decreased pre-Covid to Covid, from 204 to 190; Breast procedures rose from 317 to 397; and Body procedure numbers rose, from 275 to 304. Numbers of insured procedures decreased from 45 to 35 pre-Covid to Covid, while cosmetic procedures rose from 579 to 677. Proportion of Face:Breast:Body changed from 30.58%:47.53%:41.23% preCovid, to 24.80%:51.83%:39.69% during Covid. The average age of patients getting Face/Breast/Body surgeries PreCovid were 51.7/38.8/44.2 compared to a decrease during Covid 48.3/37.3/42.7 years. P values were calculated using a 2-proportion Z-test to determine statistical significance, and p-value less than 0.05 was used to determine statistical significance. Face, breast, and insured procedures were found to be significantly different pre-covid to Covid. Neurotoxin and filler treatments decreased pre-Covid to Covid. The percentage of total procedures that were single body regions, not including injectables, increased preCovid (81.56%) to Covid (84.20%) while multi-body region procedures decreased preCovid (18.92%) to Covid (15.80%).

Conclusion: There was a statistically significant decrease in the proportion of face/neck procedures and insured procedures pre-Covid to Covid, while there was a statistically significant increase in breast procedures pre-Covid to Covid. Trends demonstrated a decrease in average age of patients undergoing surgery and an increase in the total number of surgeries pre-Covid to Covid, with breast surgery increasing the most. Male:female proportion remained relatively stable. The overall decrease in age may be explained by older patients’ hesitancy to go out during Covid and limit exposure. While older patients were more hesitant, younger patients fueled the increase in number of surgeries during Covid. Younger patients may have been more motivated to undergo elective plastic surgery during Covid due to work and school from home, with more flexible schedules. The injectables data may not be representative of overall trends but rather a reflection of the public going to non core medical providers over plastic surgeons.