COVID’s impact on cosmetic procedures
Facts at your fingertips
By Emily Margosian, Assistant Editor, April 1, 2022
During the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many practices paused elective and cosmetic procedures for several weeks, followed by further disruptions throughout the year due to the ebb and flow in national and regional caseloads. The release of new data tracking cosmetic procedures performed in 2020 offers further insight into how COVID impacted the number and type of procedures performed compared to pre-pandemic levels.
Each year, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) distributes a questionnaire to more than 24,600 American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) members who are most likely to perform surgical and non-invasive cosmetic procedures. 2020 ASPS data indicate a consistent drop in the number of procedures performed during the year across all procedure types, age groups, and genders.
Among the most popular procedures performed, intense pulsed light (IPL) treatment replaced laser skin resurfacing in the top five minimally invasive procedures in 2020. For a further breakdown of the most popular minimally invasive cosmetic procedures of 2020 and the impact of COVID on their frequency, see the graphic below.
