Aesthetic Surgery Practice Resumption in the United Kingdom During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Joji, Nikita; Patel, Nakul; Nugent, Nora; Patel, Nian; Mair, Manish; Vadodaria, Shailesh; Waterhouse, Norman; Ramakrishnan, Venkat; Sankar, Thangasamy K

BACKGROUND: The global COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted all aspects of healthcare, including the delivery of elective aesthetic surgery practice. We carried out a national, prospective data collection of the first aesthetic plastic surgery procedures carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. OBJECTIVES: Our aim was to explore the challenges aesthetic practice is facing and to identify if any problems or complications arose from carrying out aesthetic procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Over a 6-week period from June 15 th-August 2 nd, 2020, data was collected using a proforma for aesthetic plastic surgery cases. All patients had outcomes recorded for the audit period of 14 days post-surgery. RESULTS: Our results demonstrated that none of the 371 patients audited whom underwent aesthetic surgical procedures developed any symptoms of COVID-19-related illness and none required treatment for any subsequent respiratory illness. CONCLUSIONS: We found no COVID-19-related cases or complications in a cohort of patients who underwent elective aesthetic procedures under strict screening and infection control protocols in the early resumption of elective service.