Imperfection is beauty.’ Or is it? Probably this concept is being challenged on a daily basis in today’s world. Since work-from-home has become the norm, Zoom video meets have become commonplace. This has created a new phenomenon being called “Zoom dysmorphia.” Experts describe this as a disorder involving obsessive focus on a perceived flaw in appearance.
‘Lockdown Face’ has become an issue. “We tend to frequently look at ourselves during a video call, becoming increasingly conscious of our facial expressions and perceived flaws. Earlier, in face-to-face set-ups, this element was missing, and we were free to imagine the way we looked, ” says Chaitanya Nallan, co-founder & CEO, SkinKraft.
This virtual ecosystem has triggered a self-critical and comparative response on our mien, whether true or imagined. “We have observed people turning off their cameras because of reasons such as acne outbreak, dull skin and skin tone. They see cosmetologists as they want to be confident,” says Dr Jaishree Sharad, celebrity cosmetic dermatologist.
Of late, many plastic surgeons are being inundated by questions like, ‘Is one of my eyebrows higher than the other?’ and ‘Did my nose suddenly get bigger?’ says Dr Shilpi Bhadani, Plastic and Aesthetic Surgeon, and founder SB Aesthetics.
“This new trend among young individuals could be because of more obsessiveness about oneself. We have been looking at ourselves far more critically than we ever did in the past,” she says.
“There has been a spike in interest in cosmetic surgeries worldwide,” adds Chaitanya. “India ranks amongst the top 10 countries with the most successful cosmetic surgeons. We have also witnessed a shift in consumer behaviour, as it has become more inclined towards result-oriented, customised skin-and hair-care rather than mass-produced products,” he adds.
What is it about video calls that have us scrutinising our every feature — and just how rational is it? “While the desire to attain unattainable beauty standards is nothing new, as a plastic surgeon I feel that the number of individuals seeking this change has surged. The challenge is to set limits to expectations,” Dr Shilpi says.
Mental illness
Renee Engeln, psychology professor and author of ‘Beauty Sick: How the Cultural Obsession with Appearance Hurts Girls and Women’, says knowing that an image has been modified or edited does not stop the brain from engaging in comparisons.
“Body dysmorphic disorder is recognised as a mental illness, where there is focus on very small flaws in the body. Such people may repeatedly seek help from cosmetic surgeons to remove the flaw. Even after it is removed, they have a lot of negative thoughts about themselves,” notes Dr Purnima Nagaraja, mental health professional, Dhrithi Wellness Clinic.
“Very poor body image results in a lot of anxiety. Even on social media people suffering from this issue keep working on filters to look better,” she says.
Sculpting these young minds and setting their expectations right is important because if these individuals get into the unattainable zone, they will keep looking for changes one after another. “The various picture editing apps and social media platforms have led to a surge of people reporting to us with photographs of celebrities or their own edited photos, seeking matching physical attributes. The number of minimally invasive procedures have increased manifold over the last decade as people are getting more ‘selfie’ conscious,” says Dr Shilpi.
The most beautiful faces don’t have symmetry and the most beautiful things come with baggage. So, what’s perfection? Deborah Doris Fell, supermodel, says, “No matter what we go through in life, we must always be confident of ourselves. That’s when nothing can touch us. When you love yourself, you slowly learn to accept your flaws and imperfections.”
India ranks amongst the top 10 countries with the most successful cosmetic surgeons. We have also witnessed a shift in consumer behaviour, as it has become more inclined towards result-oriented, customized skin-and hair-care rather than mass-produced products
— Chaitanya Nallan, co-founder & CEO, SkinKraft
“We have observed people turning off their cameras because of reasons such as acne outbreak, dull skin and skin tone. They see cosmetologists as they want to be confident,”
— Dr Jaishree Sharad, celebrity cosmetic dermatologist
“This new trend among young individuals could be because of more obsessiveness about oneself. We have been looking at ourselves far more critically than we ever did in the past
— Dr Shilpi Bhadani, Plastic and Aesthetic Surgeon, and founder SB Aesthetics
Body dysmorphic disorder is recognised as a mental illness, where there is focus on very small flaws in the body. Such people may repeatedly seek help from cosmetic surgeons to remove the flaw. Even after it is removed, they have a lot of negative thoughts about themselves
— Dr Purnima Nagaraja, mental health professional, Dhrithi Wellness Clinic
No matter what we go through in life, we must always be confident of ourselves. That’s when nothing can touch us. When you love yourself, you slowly learn to accept your flaws and imperfections
— Deborah Doris Fell, supermodel
