After months of stay-at-home orders and a pause on elective cosmetic procedures, a number of facial plastic surgery practices across the country are now open, although likely operating at half capacity. Many members of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) are busy this summer safely performing elective treatments of the face and neck for their patients. And the most popular request according to facial plastic surgeons…neuromodulators like Botox®, Dysport®, Xeomin®, and Jeuveau®.
Neuromodulators
It’s been at least three months since most patients have had their injectables and many are likely chomping at the bit for their next fix. With Zoom calls the new norm in our daily lives, patients are scrutinizing their image more than before and cosmetic treatments like Botox®, because it can address the lines of expression primarily in the upper face, are extremely popular right now.
“As patients visit my practice, after months seeing their image on ZOOM calls during COVID, I believe it created some pent-up demand for people to get in and get back into their regimen, as well as consider procedures they may had never considered such as facelift or chin implants,” said AAFPRS President Mary Lynn Moran, MD a facial plastic surgeon based in Tennessee.
Fillers
“A concern many have about injecting the face with filler is that it is typically a procedure that puts you in very close proximity to a patient’s face for a longer period of time than Botox®,” said Dr. Moran. “During injections around the mouth or lower face, the patient’s mask needs to be removed so the risk of coming in contact with the virus, either directly or through aerosolization (breathing, talking, coughing, or sneezing) is higher. Each physician needs to make the decision that s/he is most comfortable with. If the patients are screened and the physician is wearing appropriate PPE such as an N-95 and face shield, the risk is reduced although not eliminated.”
Trust Your Face to a Facial Plastic Surgeon
Credentials have always been important when it comes to choosing a board-certified facial plastic surgeon, and they matter even more now. Many non-expert providers offer injections and other services at a lower cost, which increases the risk of complications – and possibly COVID-19 – if corners are cut. The AAFPRS reminds patients to trust their face only to a board-certified facial plastic surgeon.