key: cord-0891896-i5c8z21s
authors: Siringo, Nicolette V; Boczar, Daniel; Berman, Zoe P; Chaya, Bachar; Rodriguez, Eduardo D
title: A Rise of Public Interest in Aesthetic Facial Surgery Procedures During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Google Trends Analysis
date: 2021-03-29
journal: Aesthet Surg J
DOI: 10.1093/asj/sjab155
sha: cf099ae4851b1900934f4b2076bf15905b2d3e0d
doc_id: 891896
cord_uid: i5c8z21s

nan

A recent study by Dhanda et al. examined Google Trends for 10 relevant search terms: lip fillers, rhinoplasty, brow lift, blepharoplasty, chin augmentation, chemical peel, liposuction, hair transplant, facelift, and botox. 4 However, data were only analyzed through July 2020, before many stay-at-home orders were lifted. Our analysis encompassed these terms as well as several synonyms (lip injections, lip flip, nose job, undereye filler, cheek filler, cheek injections, chin implant, genioplasty) in order to capture a more comprehensive representation of public interest ( Figure 1 ). We observed a total increase of 34.5% in searches from January 2019 to December 2020, with procedures addressing the lips (51.8%), eyes (44.4%) and nose (10.8%) exhibiting the most substantial increases.

From March 2020 to year-end, searches related to these features displayed a 156.3%, 136.7%, and 37.2% increase, respectively.

During the pandemic, elective procedures were cancelled in order to divert labor and conserve resources for the fight against COVID-19, and search interest in aesthetic surgery subsequently decreased as public priorities shifted. 5 As expected, Google Trend results for the term "COVID" reached peak interest on March 29. Elective surgeries resumed in mid-2020, with Indiana being the first state to loosen restrictions. 6 The spike in aesthetic surgery interest that we have seen in recent months may be due to these previously cancelled procedures now being pursued or a variety of alternative factors. For example, use of video conferencing software increased significantly as many industries converted to a work-from-home format. The front-facing camera tends to accentuate unflattering angles, and people are not accustomed to seeing their facial and body movements while interacting with others. Another possibility is that individuals who contemplated plastic surgery in the past now have more down time at home to recover. One of the primary barriers to pursuing elective facial surgery is that many procedures result in visible bruising and swelling. Now, the work-fromhome format and public mask mandates have mitigated some of these concerns.

It is also imperative to consider economic factors that may have influenced the observed trends. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) and the S&P 500 (S&P) are stock market indices calculated on the performance of 30 and 500 stocks, respectively, that are often leaders in their industry. These indicators displayed a similar trend line to that in our study, characterized by a sharp decrease at the onset of the pandemic in March 2020 (Figures 2 and 3) and a substantial overall increase by year-end. It is reasonable to assume that the observed increase in interest in facial aesthetic surgery is in part a result of economic upturn as well as the distribution of stimulus checks, the first batch of which was deposited by the Internal Revenue System (IRS) into taxpayers' bank accounts on April 11, 2020.

The limitations to using Google Trends for research purposes must be considered. For example, the search term "botox" showed a massive spike the week of November 17, 2019. This was the week that Allergan announced its first-ever National BOTOX ® Cosmetic Day. Major events like these may cause an uptick in public interest and may subsequently skew data. Additionally, seasonal variations in search activity could potentially impact findings. We conducted the same search strategy within the same time frame from the prior year (2019) and included this trendline in Figure 1 to serve as a comparative baseline from which to draw our conclusions. Despite these limitations, this software provides potentially valuable insight that may allow us to gauge the influence of certain events on public opinion and behaviors. Other authors have used the Google Trends software in order to gain data-driven insight into the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on aesthetic surgery. 7 Our study offers a unique contribution by focusing on facial procedures. This platform may also be revisited periodically in anticipation that trends will change as a result of lifted restrictions and vaccine distribution.

M a n u s c r i p t A c c e p t e d M a n u s c r i p t 

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World's Largest Plastic Surgeon Organization Releases 2019 Annual Plastic Surgery Data, Forecasts 2020 Trends Post-Pandemic and Reveals Most-Sought-After Procedures During Quarantine

A Google Trends analysis of facial plastic surgery interest during the COVID-19 pandemic. Aesthetic plastic surgery

World Health Organization declares global emergency: A review of the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19)

Vaidya A. 30 states resuming elective surgeries

Data-driven insights on the effects of COVID-19 on aesthetics: part I (passive analysis). Aesthetic surgery journal

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