What part of our lives has COVID-19 not touched? It has certainly had an impact on education (as seen by the disastrous A level fiasco), businesses (The Guardian reported that UK businesses are cutting jobs at the fastest rate seen since 2009 [Inman, 2020]) and, undoubtedly, mental health.
As well as fears of a ‘mental health pandemic’ being reported (Chaplain, 2020), the Office for National Statistics has published data on an increase in depression and depressive symptoms in UK adults through the duration of the full lockdown from 23 March to 10 May 2020, and onwards after the easing. While it is important to take this into consideration when treating patients, mental illnesses like depression and anxiety are in the mainstream media, and it is important not to forget other mental health conditions that may affect patients. Both pre- and post-lockdown, medical aesthetic practitioners may well come into contact with patients who suffer from eating disorders (such anorexia nervosa or bulimia), body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) and personality disorders. For instance, a patient with an eating disorder, despite being underweight, may seek out body contouring procedures, and a patient with BDD—a condition becoming increasingly well-known within the aesthetics industry, so I will not dwell much on this condition—may desire several non-surgical procedures to alter their appearance, and still be discontented as the actual problem (their illness) is not being addressed.
On the other hand, personality disorders (such as borderline personality disorder [BPD]), may be a little trickier for medical aesthetic practitioners to spot—this may be overcome by the use of screening questionnaires. Patients with BPD are known for their impulsivity and having an uncertain sense of self, so it may seem only natural that they seek out appearance-altering procedures. Research also suggests that they are poor patient candidates due to the aforementioned reasoning (Morioka and Ohkubo, 2014).
However, this raises the question of where the line should be drawn on treating patients with mental illnesses. For example, imagine you have one patient visiting your clinic, as they would like help covering scars, and imagine another who requests dermal filler treatment to various areas of the face. Both patients mention mental illnesses. The answer to treating lies in the screening questionnaires taken during consultation, and your own judgement. The lines between mental health and the aesthetics industry are becoming more and more blurred, so, by taking the statistics mentioned into consideration, patient safety can take centre stage as we move into an uncertain new future and the COVID-19 pandemic continues.