The development of aesthetic surgery in the Czech Republic: the situation before the Covid pandemic, during the pandemic, and expected changes in the practice of aesthetic surgery in the post-Covid period

Abstract

Coronavirus (COVID-19) was first reported in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. The rapid and initially "invisible" spread of the virus has led to many changes and reactions, including in the medical and healthcare fields. There has been a gradual postponement of surgical procedures in the health sector, and many other measures have been taken to lighten the health system. However, in the context of these changes, it is not entirely clear how this situation has affected the aesthetic industry. In the Czech Republic, the aesthetic sector was subject to different measures and restrictions than other health sectors. Thus, this study focused on aesthetic surgery in the Czech Republic as a model representative to understand how the pandemic has affected or influenced this sector. The research findings are based on an online questionnaire survey, and some of the results are supported by statements from in-depth qualitative interviews with aesthetic surgeons conducted after the pandemic. The study aimed to map the situation among Czech aesthetic surgeons/surgeons and their professional careers before the pandemic, the changes in their professional life within the set scenario during the pandemic, the expected changes after the pandemic measures, and a current look back at the whole situation.