What’s “The Zoom Boom” And Why Is It Making People Get Nose Jobs?

Many of us have spent the last year staring at our own faces more than ever before, and as you might imagine, it’s taking its toll. With Facetime dates and Zoom happy hours replacing the in-person, pre-Covid rendezvous, we’ve been blessed/cursed with a little floating box with our own face in it present during our interactions. Well, this new relationship we all have with our faces is causing us to want to surgically alter them, and experts are calling it “the Zoom Boom.” Facial plastic surgeon, Dr. Umang Mehta, told CBS, “People are starting to notice little imperfections. They find themselves looking at their own photo, as opposed to the people they’re talking to.” Yeah-- I think we’re all guilty of shifting focus away from our Facetime partner and onto ourselves at least once or twice (per minute) during our calls.

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS,) rhinoplasties (AKA nose jobs) were the most frequently performed surgical cosmetic procedure in 2020. This was actually the first year since 2006 that breast augmentations didn’t secure that number 1 spot. Even more surprisingly, the top 3 plastic surgeries were all face-related (nose reshaping, eyelid surgery, and facelifts-- in that order.) So, our faces have really stolen the focus from our bodies for the first time in 15 years.
The cause for this major shift goes beyond extra time staring at our inevitably “imperfect” faces. Unsurprisingly, social media has also played a role in this past year’s shift. On Tiktok the #nosejobcheck hashtag is up to 1.7 billion views. And, trends like the TikTok “twins” and “inverted” filters seem fun and innocent but often end up sparking anxiety about your face symmetry, which you’ve probably never even considered before.

Many Instagram and TikTok filters that don’t set out with the goal of “beautifying” your face still alter it: slimming your nose, highlighting your cheekbones, and plumping your lips. This means that even if you don’t set out to discover how much better you could look with a little nip/tuck, you’ll likely still find it. (Sometimes a gal just wants to use a filter that makes it look like she’s sitting next to Shrek without being shown how much better her cheekbones could hypothetically look-- ya know?)  And, of course, others are opting to use these filters when posting without letting their followers know. It’s been happening with photoshopped bodies for years, and clearly, it’s taken over the face.

ASPS says that as restrictions lift and folks complete their vaccines, plastic surgery is booming. So, if you’ve been considering making a few tweaks to your face lately, you’re not alone. But, if TikTok is turning you against your look, try replacing your filter-fueled surgery daydreams with some makeup tutorials. It’ll be a lot cheaper, a lot less risky, and it won’t alter all that natural cuteness you’ve got.

Next Up, The Internet Can’t Believe These Photos Of Lily James (And Neither Can We)