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COVID-19 took the world by storm, crushing everything in its path. Schools were closed. Jobs were lost. Surgeons moved remotely. Hospitals were at max capacity. People were falling ill. As the pandemic continued to spread state by state, no one knew what to expect, especially in one of the most populated cities in America, New York.

As the hospitals filled up in New York, protective gear was running low. The state had to do something, and that was put a moratorium on all elective surgeries. While in a standstill, doctors didn’t know what to expect. Were there offices ever going to reopen again? What did this mean for the future of elective surgeries?

Much to Haute Beauty expert Dr. Robert Vitolo’s surprise, the moratorium was lifted after a short few weeks, and their doors were flooded.  At first, not understanding the demand Dr. Vitolo and staff, finally got a glimpse of why…Zoom. People are so used to looking at themselves in the mirror and not on a video screen, or in essence, seeing the way people saw themselves. A mirror reverses an image, but Zoom did not.

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Frankly enough, everyone started to look at their noses, eyelids, and necks. Wondering if they really looked like that? Indeed, they did. For the first few months following the opening of Dr. Vitolo’s office, the most popular procedure was rhinoplasties (nose jobs) and eyelid surgeries.

The next thing to strike as popular was, COVID-20. Yes…20, well, everyone gained 20 lbs while sitting at home. Shifting liposuction, a procedure designed to specifically target and remove stubborn fat that won’t respond to traditional diet and exercise methods to number one on the elective surgeries list. And although we are around three years out of COVID making landfall, people are still coming in with the same desire to remove their extra pounds.

To ensure that the office continues to stay COVID-19 safe, Dr. Vitolo tests all patients before surgery and ensures they are vaccinated. Other than that, all procedure protocols have remained the exact same. In fact, COVID-19 hasn’t changed any physical thing on patients. It just changed the way patients see themselves.