The COVID-19 pandemic ushered in a new era of digital connection: In the absence of in-person gatherings, many people found themselves face-to-face with colleagues and loved ones on a screen.
Video conferencing has provided many benefits and conveniences. However, it’s no surprise that constantly seeing ourselves on screens can have some downsides.
Before the pandemic, studies showed surgeons were seeing an increasing number of patients asking for alterations to their image to match filtered or distorted photos from social media apps. Now, several years after the pandemic, surgeons are seeing a new explosion of video conferencing-related cosmetic surgery requests. In a study on cosmetic surgery during the pandemic, 86% of cosmetic surgeons cited videoconferencing as the most common reason for cosmetic problems among their patients.
Although many aspects of life have returned to some version of pre-pandemic normal, it’s clear that video conferencing and social media will be with us for the foreseeable future. So what does it mean when it comes to being satisfied with appearance and being at peace with the image that is reflected back at us?
For the past 10 years, I have been working as a specialist in obsessive-compulsive disorders, eating disorders and anxiety. Since the pandemic, I, too, have seen increasing numbers of therapy clients report struggling with appearance concerns related to video chatting and social media.
Zoom in image and appearance dissatisfaction
Every person has perceptions and thoughts about their appearance. These can be neutral, negative or positive. We all look ourselves in the mirror and we may have even experienced distress looking at our reflection.
There are several factors that can lead to dissatisfaction with appearance. Preoccupation with thoughts, feelings, or images of one’s own appearance is linked to one’s action “looking in the mirror”, or staring at his reflection. The researchers suggest that this type of selective self-focused attention and mirror gaze can lead to negative fixations to particular traits or secondary defects, which in turn intensify preoccupation with those traits.
Other factors that can contribute to dissatisfaction with appearance include: low self-esteem, social beliefs around appearance, peer and parental influences, temperament and genetic predispositions for mental health conditions.
Dissatisfaction with appearance and negative self-evaluations are associated with depression, lower self-esteem, habitual negative thinking and increased social anxiety. Furthermore, research shows that these concerns can contribute to development of eating disorders and disordered eating behaviors, such as frequently restricting food intake or exercising without refueling.
The “Zoom” effect.
With the ubiquity of Zoom meetings, FaceTime calls, selfies, and the constancy of documenting our lives on social media, access to our own image can often be unavoidable. And for some people, that can magnify feelings of dissatisfaction with the look that might have been more fleeting before the Zoom era.
Since the pandemic, screen time has increased for both adults and children. Worse, recent research shows that video and photo reflections we see ourselves they are distorted.
Video conferencing, taking selfies and posting on social media are activities based on eye contact Appearance is often the main focus. All of them have in common the fact that a person’s image is either live or shared in an instant way. Perhaps unsurprisingly, these image-based platforms have been significantly associated with appearance dissatisfaction, anxiety, depression and eating disorders.
One study found that those who engaged in more appearance comparisons via video chat, that is, those who looked at the appearance of others during a video call and sized up their appearance in comparison, showed lower satisfaction with appearance. This study also found that people who used more photo editing features on video chat platforms were more likely to compare themselves to others and spend more time looking at themselves on video calls.
One thing that is unique about video conferencing is that it allows people to easily they compare themselves to others and watch themselves share and talk in real time. A 2023 study found that discomfort with one’s appearance during video conferencing led to an increased preoccupation with appearance, which in turn led to reduced work performance.
Researchers also suggest that dissatisfaction with appearance is related to virtual meeting fatigue. Research suggests that this may be due to negative self-focused attention, cognitive overload; and anxiety around being looked at or being negatively evaluated based on appearance.
This last point is notable because of the difficulty video chatters have in determining where other users are looking. Using the concept of the “spotlight effect” – our tendency as humans to overestimate how much others judge our appearance – this difficulty can lead to more anxiety and people believing that others are judging their appearance during a video call.
How to combat appearance dissatisfaction in the digital age
If you criticize your appearance every time you visit a conference call, it may be time to evaluate your relationship with your appearance and seek help from a qualified therapist.
Here are some questions to consider to determine if your thought patterns or behaviors are problematic:
How much of my day is spent thinking about my appearance?
What kinds of behaviors do I engage in around my appearance?
Do I feel sad if I don’t do these behaviors?
Does this behavior align with my values and how I want to spend my time?
Another strategy is to intentionally focus on what others are saying in a conference call instead of looking at your face.
When it comes to helping others who may be struggling with appearance dissatisfaction, it is important to focus on the innate qualities of the person beyond appearance. People need to be aware of their comments, no matter how well-intentioned. Negative comments about the appearance have been linked to self-esteem and mental health deteriorated. When you see yourself or your peers in videos and social media, try to focus on the person as a whole rather than body parts.
Reducing screen time can also make a difference. Research shows that reduce social media usage by 50% can improve satisfaction with appearance in both adolescents and adults.
When used in moderation, video conferencing and social media are tools to connect us with others, which is ultimately a key element of contentment and well-being.
