BILLINGS- It’s not often we hear of businesses booming in the COVID-19 pandemic, but for one distinct industry, sales are up.
Research compiled by the national association of plastic surgeons shows people are getting even more beauty treatments despite a downturn in the economy.
The reason? The launch of Zoom.
“Lots of Zoom meetings, lots of iPhone time, and we're all looking at that screen,” said Janine Griffin, owner and CEO of Central Wellness in Billings.
Griffin says while people have been getting treatments to maintain or enhance beauty for years, something happened during the pandemic that she, as a business owner, didn’t see coming.
“It’s been so crazy. We have been so busy and so blessed. It's incredible. I just- I can't begin to describe it,” she said.
Plastic surgeons across the country are reporting an increase in Botox injections –as the most common treatment done. After that, procedures such as liposuction, cool sculpting or breast augmentation are also high in demand.
Griffin admits she was worried about how stay-at-home orders would impact her business.
So, she started to prepare for the worst. But as it turns out, business boomed.
“We are up,” she said. “We're up about 10% overall, and that's with us saying that we didn't do any business in March or in April.”
The pandemic has no doubt frustrated many with the self-quarantining, mask-wearing and social distancing.
“We're all kind of frustrated right now, and you just want to feel better,” said client Julie Sullivan.
Sullivan says while she’s gotten treatments many times before, when the pandemic forced her to work from home, she found herself constantly looking at herself on Zoom.
“I think part of it is boredom,” she said. “You get used to seeing yourself more. Like when I'm in my office, I don't ever look in a mirror I'm just in my office working on my computer. And when I'm at home I'm walking by a lot of mirrors in my house.”
And Griffin says for as much time as we spend on things like Zoom, there’s another factor to an uptick in treatments.
“Lots of people are working from home, right,” she said. “So that social interaction just to get out of the house and go, even if it's to medical treatment.”
Sullivan says she also feels good helping a local business during a downturn in the economy.
“What we’re also doing is helping our community, because all of the people who work here have jobs and families too and they need to support their families,” said Sullivan.
