Video conference calls include a panel of varying size displaying what the computer or telephone camera sees, which is, in most cases, when sitting at a desk, the person’s face, up close and personal.

Patients working primarily at home via video conference calls have admitted to noticing more distinctly the facial features they find least appealing and that they have become increasingly self-conscious of these particular “problem areas.” In lockstep with this pattern, anecdotally, we have seen an increase in the number of patients coming to our aesthetic offices specifically to address facial aesthetic concerns. More recently, numerous articles and blog posts have been published online regarding “how to look good on Zoom.” While the in-person interaction typically involves being seen from head-to-toe, the aesthetic focus has shifted attention heavily to facial images on video calls. 1 found that regular selfie taking among teenage women was associated with higher body dissatisfaction and overvaluation of body shape. Many studies have correlated higher body dissatisfaction, lower self-esteem, and decreased life satisfaction with frequent selfie viewing. A number of studies have investigated the popularity of the selfie view and the psychosocial impact of selfie taking. Oftentimes these images are displaying unrealistic expectations due to adjustments from a filter or even a facial enhancement application such as FaceTune (Lightricks, Jerusalem, Israel). Plastic surgeons have seen a steady increase in interest in invasive and noninvasive facial enhancement, especially among younger patients. We have learned from the rising popularity of social media and the “selfie era” that the plastic surgery patient consultation is changing.

Not to mention, the time spent on social media has invariably increased since quarantine and social restrictions were set in place in the United States.

While video calls have existed for some time, the inability to work together in an office or socialize in communal settings has cemented the video conference or virtual hangout in American life for the foreseeable future. Just as the coronavirus disease of 2019 pandemic has altered and continues to alter nearly every aspect of our daily lives, one major adjustment is the rapid rise in use of video conferencing (e.g., Zoom Zoom Video Communications, San Jose, Calif.) for communication. The birth of the “selfie,” in addition to the liberal use of photographic filters to enhance and even change a person’s image on screen or in photographs, highlights the significance of this phenomenon. It has become increasingly evident over the past several years that the popularity of social media and online culture has found people scrutinizing their image in different and more deliberate ways than the previous generation did.

Video filters for zoom