Mike Saul
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The increased use of Zoom and other video conferencing software has led to Britons feeling more self-conscious about how they look and significantly decreased their self-esteem as a result, according to a new report by the team here at Cosmetic Surgery Solicitors.
The nationwide survey, which had 1,149 responses, asked the UK population a series of questions about their use of video software throughout the Coronavirus pandemic.
The study found that 69% of respondents have generally felt either quite aware or extremely aware of their own appearance as a result of an increased use of video technology.
When asked how happy they generally felt about their appearance since the start of the pandemic, 46.6% reported feeling unhappy with their appearance, compared to only 21% who have felt happy with how they look.
In addition, while the majority of respondents (54.6%) reported no change in their self-esteem since the pandemic began, 31.9% stated that their self esteem had decreased, with 9.8% reporting a ‘significant’ decrease. Only 13.6% noted an increase in their self esteem since the start of lockdown.
What’s more, 16.7% of respondents said that their desire for cosmetic surgery had also increased since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic, with dental work (43.2%), botox or filler procedures (36.1%), and breast surgery (22.8%) being the most in-demand procedures.
The survey also highlighted how the pandemic and video technology has impacted age groups in different ways.
The 21-25 age group were found to be most conscious of their own appearance on video technology, with 80.9% stating they felt either quite aware or extremely aware of their appearance.
Similarly, this age group was most likely (21.3%) to feel ‘very unhappy’ with the way they look.
Furthermore, the 21-25 age group reported the biggest decrease in satisfaction with regards to how their body looks since the start of the pandemic. Before the pandemic, 48.4% stated they were either unhappy, very unhappy or extremely unhappy with their body, which had risen to 72% today.
However, the impact of the pandemic and video technology was more likely to have a stronger impact on self esteem levels of the 18-20 to age group. 62% of this age group stated their self esteem had dropped either slightly or significantly, compared to 46.2% of 21-25-year-olds.
In addition, 31% of 18-20-year-olds reported a slightly or significantly increased desire for cosmetic surgery, compared to 23.7% of 21-25-year-olds.
The full results can be found below:
How old are you? | ||
---|---|---|
Answer Choices | Responses | |
Under 18 | 0.00% | 0 |
18-20 | 2.79% | 32 |
21-25 | 8.88% | 102 |
26-30 | 13.58% | 156 |
31-35 | 13.23% | 152 |
36-40 | 15.06% | 173 |
41-45 | 9.83% | 113 |
46-50 | 9.23% | 106 |
51-55 | 10.44% | 120 |
56-60 | 6.27% | 72 |
61-65 | 5.31% | 61 |
66-70 | 2.35% | 27 |
Over 70 | 3.05% | 35 |
What is your gender? | ||
Answer Choices | Responses | |
Male | 26.36% | 296 |
Female | 71.95% | 808 |
Gender non-conforming | 0.98% | 11 |
Prefer not to say | 0.71% | 8 |
Which of the following best describes your employment status? | ||
Answer Choices | Responses | |
Employed, working 40 or more hours per week | 23.86% | 268 |
Employed, working 1-39 hours per week | 35.98% | 404 |
Self-employed | 7.48% | 84 |
Not employed | 23.42% | 263 |
Retired | 9.26% | 104 |
What is your marital status? | ||
Answer Choices | Responses | |
Single | 31.88% | 358 |
Married | 39.09% | 439 |
Domestic partnership | 19.32% | 217 |
Civil partnership | 2.14% | 24 |
Widowed | 2.14% | 24 |
Divorced | 4.54% | 51 |
Separated | 0.89% | 10 |
On average, how often have you worked at home since March 2020? | ||
Answer Choices | Responses | |
5 days a week | 33.74% | 358 |
2-3 days a week | 14.42% | 153 |
1 day a week | 4.71% | 50 |
0 days a week | 47.13% | 500 |
On average, how often have you used video calling software since March 2020? | ||
Answer Choices | Responses | |
Extremely frequently | 20.36% | 216 |
Quite frequently | 30.44% | 323 |
Not very frequently | 28.28% | 300 |
Never | 20.92% | 222 |
To what extent have you felt aware of your own appearance while using video calling software? | ||
Answer Choices | Responses | |
I have felt extremely aware of my own appearance | 32.99% | 350 |
I have felt quite aware of my own appearance | 36.48% | 387 |
I haven't thought about it | 30.54% | 324 |
How would you best describe how you've felt about your own appearance while using video calling software? | ||
Answer Choices | Responses | |
I have generally felt very unhappy about my appearance | 16.02% | 170 |
I have generally felt quite unhappy about my appearance | 30.54% | 324 |
I haven't thought about it | 32.52% | 345 |
I have generally felt quite happy about my appearance | 15.83% | 168 |
I have generally felt very happy about my appearance | 5.09% | 54 |
How happy with your body were you before the pandemic? | ||
Answer Choices | Responses | |
Extremely happy | 2.68% | 28 |
Very happy | 6.69% | 70 |
Happy | 40.63% | 425 |
Unhappy | 38.43% | 402 |
Very unhappy | 5.93% | 62 |
Extremely unhappy | 5.64% | 59 |
How happy with your body are you now? | ||
Answer Choices | Responses | |
Extremely happy | 2.77% | 29 |
Very happy | 8.13% | 85 |
Happy | 34.23% | 358 |
Unhappy | 35.47% | 371 |
Very unhappy | 10.52% | 110 |
Extremely unhappy | 8.89% | 93 |
To what extent do you feel your self-esteem has been affected since the start of lockdown? | ||
Answer Choices | Responses | |
My self-esteem has increased significantly | 3.06% | 32 |
My self-esteem has increased slightly | 10.52% | 110 |
My self-esteem hasn't changed significantly | 54.59% | 571 |
My self-esteem has decreased slightly | 22.08% | 231 |
My self-esteem has decreased significantly | 9.75% | 102 |
To what extent have your exercise habits changed during lockdown? | ||
Answer Choices | Responses | |
I have significantly increased the amount of exercise I have been doing | 9.46% | 99 |
I have slightly increased the amount of exercise I have been doing | 21.51% | 225 |
I am doing the same amount of exercise as usual | 35.18% | 368 |
I have slightly decreased the amount of exercise I have been doing | 20.84% | 218 |
I have significantly decreased the amount of exercise I have been doing | 13.00% | 136 |
To what extent has the coronavirus pandemic affected your desire for cosmetic surgery? | ||
Answer Choices | Responses | |
My desire for cosmetic surgery has increased significantly | 4.02% | 42 |
My desire for cosmetic surgery has increased slightly | 12.72% | 133 |
My desire for cosmetic surgery has remained the same | 25.43% | 266 |
My desire for cosmetic surgery has decreased slightly | 2.87% | 30 |
My desire for cosmetic surgery has decreased significantly | 1.43% | 15 |
I don't want cosmetic surgery | 53.54% | 560 |
Which cosmetic procedure are you considering? | ||
Answer Choices | Responses | |
Botox or filler procedures | 36.12% | 173 |
Liposuction | 19.42% | 93 |
Dental work | 43.22% | 207 |
Breast surgery (augmentation, reconstruction or reduction) | 22.76% | 109 |
Hair transplant | 4.59% | 22 |
Rhinoplasty | 9.19% | 44 |
Tummy tuck | 22.13% | 106 |
Facelift | 8.56% | 41 |
Other (please specify) | 8.77% | 42 |
To what extent have social distancing guidelines affected your desire to undergo a cosmetic surgery procedure? | ||
Answer Choices | Responses | |
Social distancing rules make me significantly less likely to want to visit a clinic for a cosmetic procedure | 24.22% | 116 |
Social distancing rules make me slightly less likely to want to visit a clinic for a cosmetic procedure | 30.48% | 146 |
Social distancing rules don't affect my desire to visit a clinic for a cosmetic procedure | 45.30% | 217 |
Have you invested in any beauty treatments since the UK lockdown was eased? Tick any that apply. | ||
Answer Choices | Responses | |
Nails - including manicure, pedicure, nail extensions or gel nails, for example | 10.99% | 114 |
Botox or filler procedures | 3.38% | 35 |
Hair cuts or treatments | 33.08% | 343 |
Eyelash extensions | 3.47% | 36 |
Waxing or other hair removal treatments | 8.97% | 93 |
None of the above | 56.51% | 586 |
Other (please specify) | 2.03% | 21 |