The Post-Lockdown Plastic Surgery Boom: Why Surgeons Have Never Been Busier

•Plastic & reconstructive surgeons such as Mr Naveen Cavale are fully booked until autumn

•The most popular post-lockdown procedures are rhinoplasties

•Reasons for the upswing in surgery include more time spent at home, despite restrictions easing (i.e. working from home), mask-wearing to cover swelling/bruising, plus Zoom/videos calls making us to look at our reflection more often than normal

•Caution is needed and patients should be wary of post-lockdown ‘deals’ and ‘special offers’

16th July 2020 – The UK is continuing to slowly ease restrictions after months of being locked down, meaning that cosmetic procedures can now start to take place again – if you can get an appointment, that is.

Plastic surgeons have never been busier, with some practices fully booked up until October. Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon, Mr Naveen Cavale, is one of them. “I’ve honestly never been busier – there is a big demand for plastic surgery at the moment” explains Mr Cavale. “For my private practice I’m currently booked out until mid-September and I’m scheduled to do 3 months’ worth of work in July alone”. Of course, part of this upswing is due to many surgeries being postponed over the past few months, but Mr Cavale believes that there might be other factors at play, including more time for ‘discrete’ post-surgery recovery, the wearing of masks which can cover some post-surgery bruising/swelling, plus the fact we’ve all been staring at ourselves on video calls for the past 4 months.

The most popular procedures? “Rhinoplasties seem to be in high demand post-lockdown. Since restrictions eased, the average number of rhinoplasties I've performed each month has doubled.” The reason for this increase could be due to a number of factors. “Often those who book in for a rhinoplasty do so after a lot of thought, consideration and research – it’s not an impulsive decision for my patients” says Mr Cavale. “Reasons for the upswing could include the fact that we’re still spending a lot of time at home as people are still advised to work from home if possible, meaning there’s more opportunity for discreet downtime post-surgery. Additionally, the wearing of masks can conceal bruising and swelling from procedures and finally, we’ve all spent the past four months staring at ourselves on Zoom.” For someone who has been considering surgery, it’s easy to see why having their surgery at the moment, given the circumstances, is an attractive prospect.

Caution, however, is needed and Mr Cavale will always make sure his patients are having cosmetic surgery for the right reasons and with the right person. “Always do your homework and ensure you’re following the guidance offered by organisations such as BAAPS and ISAPS. Don’t fall for ‘special offers’ and ensure your surgeon is listed on the Specialist Register of the General Medical Council” he says. “It’s also worth noting that the bigger hospitals where a lot of Consultant Plastic Surgeons work are currently being used by the NHS (and quite rightly so). Even when things do get going again, it will be a slow process, so it could take a while before surgeries start up fully. I was lucky in that the hospital I work in was offered to the NHS but wasn’t needed, meaning I’m available for patients” he says.

“Finally, it’s imperative to note that any surgery carries risk, but at the moment there is an additional element of risk for surgeries given that the corona virus is very much still a threat” says Mr Cavale. “That said, medics are obviously incredibly infection/hygiene aware and follow strict, rigorous rules to ensure the safest environment. For complete peace of mind, always ensure your surgeon/doctor is registered on the General Medical Council register.”

For more information please contact:

Rebecca Lee
RL Comms
E: rebecca@rlcomms.com
M: 07891069258