The separation caused by social distancing combined with the ease of hiding bruises, stitches, and facial reconstruction behind a mask, and you've got what Dr. Michael Niccole of Newport Beach, Calif., has dubbed the "face mask phenomenon." In a recent interview with CBS, he explained, "In the 40 years that I have been practicing, this has been the greatest increase in volume of patients in our practice," citing a 25% increase in business since March and a four month waitlist for surgeries.

Dr. Jennifer Levine, a New York City-based plastic surgeon, detailed to the New York Post that the city's mask mandate, and the pandemic in general, "allows people to have a seamless recovery — they don't have to hide." Further adding, "It makes them feel a lot less self-conscious entering the healing process knowing they're not on display."

And while there is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting or getting filler or a surgical procedure to manifest your best self, British psychologist Dr. Jill Owen explained to the BBC that what was once described as "Selfie Dysmorphia" has transformed into image obsession thanks to the Zoom Boom of 2020. Emotional stressors exacerbated by perceived imperfections, thanks to unrealistic beauty standards, are certainly causing people to think more about cosmetic procedures than ever before. She further warns that image obsession can lead to "perceptual distortion," which becomes a recipe for self-image issues that cannot be corrected with Botox or a nose job.