Perceived Stress and Interest in Non-Invasive Aesthetic Procedures During the COVID-19 Pandemic

PURPOSE: Multiple effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have been described, including an increase in concerns about one’s facial appearance resulting in greater interest in cosmetic procedures. However, additional research is required to examine the impact of the pandemic on patients’ overall stress levels and whether this reported stress is associated with an interest in facial aesthetic procedures. We aimed to describe perceived stress and to identify factors associated with increased stress among patients seeking aesthetic treatments during the pandemic. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients coming to a Singapore-based clinic and who completed a questionnaire over a one-month period were included. Stress was evaluated using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS); additional questions sought to understand factors associated with perceived stress and future interest in aesthetic procedures. RESULTS: Two hundred and thirteen respondents participated in the study. Separation from family and inability to travel for leisure were major stressors in 54% and 55%; getting COVID-19 was less frequently a stressor (11%). Patients reported greater concern with appearance (increased worry in 32%, comparison to others in 41%). Ninety-one percent of patients continued aesthetic procedures despite the pandemic and 75% reported interest in proceeding with treatments not previously tried before. PSS scores were higher than published norms. Factors associated with increased scores included residency status, job insecurity and markers of increased concern about appearance. Finally, higher stress scores were observed in patients with greater likelihood of receiving future aesthetic treatments, although this was not statistically significant after applying the Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons. CONCLUSION: Significantly higher stress scores were seen in patients seeking aesthetic treatments. We identified factors associated with increased stress with a suggested association between increased likelihood of proceeding with any aesthetic procedure and higher levels of stress. These highlight the importance of caution in treating patients given their increased stress levels and potential vulnerability.