Both men and women from several age groups turn their cheeks toward the beautification landscape to cope with the stress brought about by pandemic and video calls
We’ve pretty much lived through two years of wearing masks, staying indoors, and connecting not just with our colleagues, but also friends and families online since the COVID-19 pandemic hit. At present, most of the government mandated restrictions have eased up. The global pandemic, however, seems to have impacted not just the people’s health habits, but also their thoughts on beauty and wellness—facial aesthetic treatments, in particular—as online meetings become more frequent.
As of this writing, Google search trends show that in the last 12 months, there have been a 50% increase in searches for the meaning of “tweakments” worldwide and an approximately 40% increase for “skin care clinic” in the Philippines. It can be said that personal care, although not entirely a new concept, has become the top-of-mind outlet for people navigating the uncharted waters of a pandemic. In addition, the shift in the consumer attitude toward beauty and wellness improved people’s perception and acceptance of facial aesthetic treatments, thereby generating demand from both men and women of different ages.
Understanding the global beautification landscape
People are now turning to skin care and wellness brands for help. Part of it is probably just due to boredom, but majority of it stems from high levels of anxiety brought about by the pandemic through longer screen times and shorter real-life conversations. In fact, a 2020 survey stated that 40% of the people who had never tried cosmetic procedures before have been inspired to join the bandwagon because they saw how they look on screen and video platforms.
Generally, the computer’s camera and its angle can distort one’s appearance. Looking down at the screen, for example, makes loose skin on the neck more apparent, while placing the camera at a high angle with bad lighting can make eye circles appear darker. Now, with an increased time spent on video calls and people seeing their perceived flaws more often, interest in cosmetic enhancements—from facelifts to lip fillers—shows zero signs of slowing down, not even a bit.
Ladan Shahabi, MD, director of aesthetic surgery at UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center, says in an article that the demand is huge. “So many people are working virtually, and they’re noticing on camera the loss of volume in their cheeks, the jowls, their skin texture. So, I have seen an uptick. People are coming in saying, ‘What can you do to help?’” Even so, this does not mean dissatisfaction nor unacceptance of one’s appearance.
Finding peace in the unknown
Given today’s situation, new forms of experimentation and self-expression are coming into view, like trying on a new hairstyle or getting a nose job. Allergan Aesthetics, an AbbVie Company, surveyed more than 12,000 men and women aged 25-64 across 15 countries*, to understand their attitudes and opinions towards aesthetic treatments like body contouring and facial fillers. The research indicated that most participants would like to make some form of improvement to their looks.
Allergan’s study confirmed that the majority of the respondents attribute their overall sense of wellness from their perceptions of themselves—whether or not they feel attractive. This means that their attempts at looking their best translates to how productive they are at work and, by extension, how good they feel about themselves. In fact, 78% of them agreed that they feel more successful in their personal lives, while 68% in their professional lives, when they have clear and glowing skin.
80% of the people surveyed by Allergan also believed body contouring treatments are more acceptable than they were five years ago. In Japan, 90% attested that there is no stigma attached to either face or body treatments. In effect, there was a 20% drop in stigma felt by people who would consider an aesthetic treatment, from 43% in 2019. Thanks to social media coverage from both TV personalities and celebrities normalizing aesthetic procedures, facial aesthetic treatments are no longer about changing into a totally different person, but rather a way of enhancing facial features to boost one’s confidence.
Highlighting the things that make you, you
These days, getting dermal fillers is almost as normal as getting your hair colored. It is not, however, a one-size-fits-all procedure. So, it’s important for people to tailor their tweakments to suit their needs and talk about it openly with a qualified medical aesthetics practitioner.
Allergan data stated that 52% are more likely to consider a non-surgical aesthetic treatment if they were confident it could be bespoke and tailored to them, while 44% would be prompted to do so if they gained a better understanding of what was involved. It is also worth noting that 1 in 3 people are concerned that they lack chin projection or shape in their jaw.** Meanwhile, additional research conducted by Allergan in 2016 also showed that women prefer a symmetrical ‘oval’ shape with a defined jawline and a firm, toned chin.***
Products in the Juvéderm® collection of hyaluronic acid facial fillers, for example, help highlight and delicately refresh your facial features. They do so by hydrating your skin, reviving your under-eye, volumizing or lifting your cheeks, plumping your lips, defining your lip shape, and contouring your chin and jawline—all while your beauty choices are spared from judgment. After all, facial aesthetic treatments should be about looking and feeling our best self.
Juvéderm® VOLUX is the latest addition to the Juvéderm® Collection: Visit their website for more information. You may also find the nearest clinic for consultations. For updates, follow Juvéderm® Philippines on Instagram.
References:
- Consumer Beauty Insights Study 2021 (Global Data). REF-83962.
- Allergan Unpublished Data. Allergan OYID Survey (Global Data). INT-NON-1950284. December 2019.
- Cosmetic Physicians College of Australia: Australia’s Spend on Cosmetic Treatments Tops $1 Billion. Available online via: https://cpca.net.au/australias-spend-on- cosmetic-treatments-tops-1-billion-2/ Date Accessed: 30 June 2022.
*12,360 interviews were carried out during July-August 2021 with men and women aged between 25-64 years old across 15 countries, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom.
**110 of the 115 patients asked reported delighted’ or ‘happy’ immediately after treatment with Juvéderm® VOLUMA with lidocaine, part of the JUVÉDERM® range of products
***Based on lower face consumer market research funded by Allergan in August – October 2016. A total of 42 consumers from Brazil (n=10), Canada (n=12), Italy (n=10) and Turkey (n=10) were interviewed, all of whom indicated dissatisfaction with their face shape due to an enlarged masseter muscle.
This article is funded by Allergan Aesthetics, an AbbVie Company. Adverse events should be reported to [email protected] and the local Allergan office. Allergan Healthcare Philippines, Inc. 21F, Robinsons Cyberscape Beta, Ruby & Topaz Roads, Ortigas Center, Pasig City 1605. Date Approved: June 2022. PH-JUV-220059
