Health First Dermatology Professionals Have a Reason to Smile Through the ‘Zoom Boom’

MEDICAL PRACTICE SPOTLIGHT

While masks and social distancing may fade away, cameras and video conferencing are here to stay. Health First Dermatology has the latest treatments from medical providers with advanced training.

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – The meeting is starting. Close the door. Click the link. Bring up your mic. Before you go live with the camera, preview – that’s when the real checklist begins.

At Health First Dermatology, our providers have welcomed the surging interest in cosmetic procedures spurred by video conferencing – the so-called “Zoom Boom.”

They’re pleased that professionals look to none other than fully trained medical specialists for such procedures as dermal fillers and injectables.

“Some of these procedures are being offered in spa-like settings, but many do not have the medical knowledge or experience to perform these procedures with the commitment to patient safety and satisfaction that our providers at Health First have,” says Sarah Mowery, PA-C.

“You may be able to go just about anywhere to have cosmetics done, but we are a specialty for a reason,” says Kathleen Verpaele, APRN.

“We are so blessed that our patients put their trust in us.”

A report from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons tallied up such minor cosmetic procedures and found that Botox was the most popular – 4.4 million procedures were performed in 2020. Soft-tissue fillers, laser skin resurfacing, chemical peels and intense pulsed light treatments (to remove age spots, wrinkles, hair) rounded out the top 5.

Providing a natural rejuvenation might prod kidding that someone’s been sipping from the fountain of youth, or, better, is one of those people who don’t age, but it requires a medical approach to the symmetry and physiology of the face.

While Verpaele and Mowery say that women comprise the majority of their patients, they’re seeing many more men, too.

“Everyone wants to project their best self,” Mowery says. “Cosmetic procedures provide a way to achieve that with little to no downtime, and a person’s positive perception of their appearance provides numerous benefits.”

“Let’s be real, appearance is important, or I would roll out of bed in the morning and come to work in my PJ’s. Studies show that people who have pride in their appearance usually eat better, exercise, get proper sleep, and use a good skin-care regimen,” Verpaele says.

“Zoom dysmorphia” is a new diagnosis, an outgrowth of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), the widely accepted mental health diagnosis that’s similar to obsessive-compulsive disorder. Noticing your crow’s feet or pale complexion is not this, and that is where medical professionalism comes in, too.

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“Let’s be real, appearance is important, or I would roll out of bed in the morning and come to work in my PJ’s. Studies show that people who have pride in their appearance usually eat better, exercise, get proper sleep, and use a good skin-care regimen.”

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Health First providers talk to their patients about the root causes of their complaint. It is their duty, ethically, to point out when a patient is being unrealistic, or when another therapeutic route is indicated.

In any case, patients’ anxiety is real, Verpaele and Mowery say, and the majority of new patients are doing treatments to feel more confident in their own skin – not seeking approval from others.
While masks and social distancing may fade away, cameras and video conferencing are here to stay.

“Between work meetings and social media, selfies and family photos, in our culture, people are always watching. We want to look our best and feel refreshed, too,” Verpaele says.

Visit HF.org/dermatology to learn more.

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