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Zoom video calls: Half of all Brits ‘unhappy’ with how they look on camera

As a result, some are considering Botox, fillers or cosmetic surgery

Half of all Brits are unhappy with how they look on Zoom video calls, new research has revealed.

Not only that, many are now considering Botox, fillers or cosmetic surgery as a result.

With video calls now very much part of the new normal, for many it’s become part of daily life.

It’s used for everything from business meetings with people working from home to a virtual catch up tool for friends and families forced apart.

But 50% of Brits have now revealed they aren’t happy with how they look during video calls.

woman sitting on laptop on a Zoom video call
Video calling via apps like Zoom has become part of the new normal (Credit: Pexels)

Half of Brits ‘loathe’ seeing their face on video calls

Skincare brand MEDOVIE commissioned the study. It discovered the rise of the Zoom call since lockdown has led to a “national wave of self-consciousness”

Of the 1,500 people surveyed, half said they “loathed seeing their own face” on video calls.

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A quarter of Brits avoid them at all costs, the study revealed. They believe they have “a face for telephone but not for camera”.

Meanwhile, 39% are so self-conscious over how they look that they have their camera switched off at all times during video calls.

Others – 16% – lied to colleagues and clients and said their camera wasn’t working. Almost a quarter (23%) wish all calls would go back to being on the telephone.

Of those who cannot avoid them, 75% confessed they can “never” concentrate on the topic of the video call. This is because they’re too distracted by their own appearance.

woman sitting at her laptop looking unhappy
Some have said they’re considering Botox or fillers as demand for video calls rise (Credit: Unsplash)

What do Brits dislike about their looks?

Asked what their biggest worry was, 26% commented that it was their skin. Meanwhile, 16% hated “how frizzy” their hair looked.

Another 6% worried that their head looked too big on the screen.

Yellow teeth (20%), wrinkles (18%), spots (20%), skin flare ups (8%) and crooked teeth (7%) were also mentioned in the study.

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It was also revealed that some disliked their appearance on Zoom so much that it had impacted their mental health.

Others – 11% – booked an appointment with a hairdresser after seeing themselves on a video call, while 15% considered seeing a GP or dermatologist about their skin as a result.

Our research clearly indicates that the upsurge in Zoom calls this year has made plenty of Brits feel self-conscious about their looks.

The survey showed that 12% are considering fillers or Botox as a result of how video calls make them feel, while a further 6% are considering seeing a cosmetic surgeon.

A quarter try to avoid Zoom video calls

Nadav Shraibom of MEDOVIE said: “Our research clearly indicates that the upsurge in Zoom calls this year has made plenty of Brits feel self-conscious about their looks.

“In fact, a quarter of us are trying to avoid Zoom calls at all costs for this very reason, worrying about how they look from the condition of their skin to their hair and teeth.”

picture of a laptop during a Zoom call
Some avoid video calls at all costs, while others switch their cameras off (Credit: Unsplash)

Nadav added: “A life on Zoom has meant that skincare has really taken the spotlight during 2020. In fact, we have seen an increase of 50% in the number of people approaching us over the last few months for consultations about their skin concerns.”

The study also found that one in five Brits insist on getting ready for a video call like they would a normal face-to-face meeting.

Some 36% also admitted they make sure they’re camera ready, but only from the waist up!

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Nancy Brown
Associate Editor

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