Staycations fuel uptick in plastic and cosmetic therapy interest

Since many people have canceled their trips and are staying in town for the weeklong Spring Festival holiday due to the pandemic, Shanghai hospitals are reporting a rise in consultations and appointments for plastic and cosmetic therapy.

Doctors from Shanghai 9th People’s Hospital said the holiday is peak season for beauty seekers, more so than in previous years.

Non-invasive and minimally-invasive procedures like laser skin therapy, anti-freckle treatment and dermal filler injection are popular this year. More people are also inquiring about major surgeries like liposuction.

“It's important to visit an official clinic or hospital for plastic therapy,” said Dr Liu Xianchao, director of Shanghai Ren’ai Hospital’s plastic surgery department. “Liposuction is a surgical procedure, which requires professional service and proper after-surgery care. It takes a certain period of time for people to recover from the surgery. Different parts of the body need varying amounts of time for recovery. For legs, it takes two to three days, while the stomach can take anywhere from two weeks to three months."