New research by dermatologist Shadi Kourosh on videoconferencing and self-image
Zoom dysmorphia
“In the age of Zoom, people became inordinately preoccupied with sagging skin around their neck and jowls; with the size and shape of their nose; with the pallor of their skin.”
- Even looking at a normal mirror makes you more self-conscious
- “Video conferencing distorts our appearance in ways we might not even realise… Front-facing cameras distort your image.”
Permanent?
71% are anxious or stressed about returning to in-person activities
- “Those who spent more time staring into the “technological mirror” expressed more anxiety”
- 30% will “invest in their appearance as a coping strategy to deal with returning to in-person”
- Worried about “weight gain, skin discolouration, wrinkles and acne… all things that may have been exacerbated by the amount of time spent on Zoom.”
Fight Zoom dysmorphia with awareness
“Helping people know they’re not alone.”
