When you spend hours on video calls, it is very easy to become your own harshest critic. You notice a line around your mouth, the way your jawline looks from below, or a nose that seems more prominent on screen than it does in the mirror.
When KHOU 11 News interviewed me about Zoom dysmorphia, the question I wanted people to think about was not simply whether video calls were making them more interested in plastic surgery. It was whether they were judging their appearance from an image that accurately represented their face in the first place.
Sometimes a camera draws attention to facial aging or an anatomical concern that is genuinely there. Sometimes lighting, distance and perspective make something look different than it does in person. I do not think you can make that determination from a webcam image alone.
The face on your screen may be what starts the conversation. It should not be what determines a permanent surgical decision.
ATHRÉ IN THE NEWS
My KHOU 11 News Interview About Zoom Dysmorphia
I joined Houston’s KHOU 11 News to discuss how seeing ourselves on video calls was influencing appearance concerns and interest in cosmetic surgery. You can also read the original KHOU 11 report.
What Is Zoom Dysmorphia?
Zoom dysmorphia describes the appearance concerns that can develop when we repeatedly look at ourselves during video calls. The term became widely discussed during the COVID-19 pandemic, when work meetings, school and social conversations moved onto screens.
Think about how different a video meeting is from sitting across the table from someone. In person, you are not watching your own face throughout the conversation. On a video call, your image may be right in front of you for an hour. It is very easy to start examining your skin, your facial expressions or the symmetry of your features instead of paying attention to the other person.
Researchers brought attention to this issue in a 2020 publication about video conferencing and the perception of appearance. Zoom dysmorphia is a descriptive term, not a separate psychiatric diagnosis. It is also not the same thing as body dysmorphic disorder, which involves more persistent and distressing appearance-related concerns.
CAMERA PERSPECTIVE
Why Your Face Can Look Different on Zoom
A webcam is not a mirror, and it is not a standardized medical photograph. Camera distance, lens perspective, lighting and the angle of your head can all change how facial features appear.
For example, a laptop camera is often positioned below eye level and relatively close to the face. That angle can change how the lower face and neck look. Harsh overhead lighting can emphasize shadows under the eyes or around the mouth. And when the lens is close, features nearer to the camera can appear larger relative to the rest of the face.
Why the Nose Can Look Larger in a Selfie
There is research showing that close-range photography changes apparent facial proportions. In one study comparing smartphone selfies with standardized clinical photographs, nasal length appeared an average of 6.4% longer in selfies taken at 12 inches than in photographs taken at five feet.
Another study examining facial distortion at different camera distances found measurable midface distortion at short distances with both smartphones and professional cameras.
These studies measured still photographs, so I would not pretend the numbers apply to every webcam. But the principle is important. The appearance of a feature can change without the anatomy changing at all.
When a patient tells me the nose looks too large on camera, I want to examine the actual facial proportions. I do not want to plan a rhinoplasty around a perspective problem.
Are Video Calls Making People More Critical of Their Appearance?
There is evidence that they can, but I think it is important to look at what the studies actually found.
A 2021 study of 335 Australian adults found that more than one-third had identified new appearance concerns during video calls. People who noticed new concerns were also more interested in future beauty and aesthetic treatments. The researchers found associations with self-focused attention and video appearance-manipulation behaviors.
Another study of 613 adults linked dissatisfaction with facial appearance to Zoom fatigue. That is an interesting finding because it suggests that looking at your own face may influence more than your interest in a cosmetic procedure; it may affect how comfortable you feel during the meeting itself.
More Screen Time Does Not Always Mean More Dissatisfaction
Not every study points in the same direction. A 2022 study of 618 adults actually found higher appearance satisfaction among people who spent more time video chatting. However, certain habits, including watching oneself and using appearance-enhancing features, were associated with appearance comparisons.
That tells me we need to be careful with the idea that Zoom automatically makes people dislike their faces. How someone looks at themselves on screen may be more important than how many hours they spend in meetings.
One of My Patients Noticed This During the Pandemic
Suzanne’s story is a good example of how a video call can bring an appearance concern into focus. In the beginning of her filmed patient journey, I explain that during the pandemic she was spending more time video conferencing and seeing her own face on screen.
She felt that what she was seeing did not match her energy, enthusiasm and the way she felt about herself. That was part of what brought her in to see me.
When I examined Suzanne, the conversation moved beyond the screen. I looked at her anatomy, the changes she wanted to address and what a facial rejuvenation procedure could realistically accomplish. Her experience was personal to her; I would not use it to suggest that everyone who dislikes their image on a video call needs surgery.
A video call can make you aware of a concern. My job is to evaluate that concern in person, not assume that the camera has given us the answer.
PATIENT JOURNEY
Suzanne’s Facial Rejuvenation Journey
In this patient journey, I explain how seeing herself on video calls contributed to Suzanne’s decision to seek an evaluation. I then walk through her facial assessment, surgical plan and recovery. Her result reflects her individual anatomy and treatment.
How I Evaluate an Appearance Concern That Started on Zoom
I start by listening to what the patient is actually seeing. Is the concern about the nose, the jawline, skin texture or a change in the face that seems to have happened over time? Does it bother them away from the camera, or only during virtual meetings?
Then I look at the anatomy in person. A patient who feels the nose looks too prominent on a laptop may need a better understanding of camera perspective before considering rhinoplasty. Someone who has noticed changes in the jawline or neck may have genuine concerns about facial aging, but I still need to determine whether any facial rejuvenation treatment makes sense.
I also pay attention to expectations. Surgery can change facial anatomy. It cannot fix every camera angle, make the face perfectly symmetrical or guarantee that a person will stop worrying about their appearance.
If someone is experiencing persistent distress, constantly checking or avoiding their appearance, or having difficulty functioning because of these concerns, I think that deserves attention before discussing an elective procedure. In some situations, a mental health assessment is more appropriate than surgery.
What I Would Suggest Before Judging Your Face on Camera
Stop Watching Your Own Image the Entire Time
Many video platforms let you hide your self-view while keeping the camera on for everyone else. If you are constantly checking your face, I think that is a reasonable thing to try. There is not strong clinical evidence that this treats Zoom dysmorphia, but reducing self-focused attention may make meetings more comfortable.
Change the Camera Setup
Try positioning the camera at eye level, moving it farther away and using more even lighting. These adjustments can reduce some of the exaggerated effects that occur when a lens is very close to your face.
Be Careful About Comparing Yourself With Filters
Appearance-enhancing filters can smooth skin and change the way facial features look. A 2025 study of video conferencing and cosmetic treatment interest found associations between filter use, frequent self-viewing and interest in cosmetic procedures. I would not use a filtered image as the standard for what your face is supposed to look like.
Before you decide something needs to change, make sure you are evaluating your face rather than your camera.
FREQUENTLY ASKED
Questions About Zoom Dysmorphia
These are some of the questions people ask about seeing themselves on video calls, camera distortion and whether what they notice should influence decisions about cosmetic treatment.
What is Zoom dysmorphia?
It describes heightened concern about appearance associated with repeatedly seeing yourself on video calls. The term gained attention through a 2020 publication on video conferencing and appearance perception. It is not a separate formal psychiatric diagnosis.
Can Zoom make my face look different than it does in person?
Yes. Camera distance and perspective can change apparent facial proportions. A study of smartphone and professional-camera photography measured midfacial distortion at short distances. The exact effect on a video call depends on the camera setup.
Why does my nose look bigger in selfies?
Close-range perspective can make the nose look more prominent. In a study comparing selfies with clinical photographs, nasal length appeared an average of 6.4% longer at a 12-inch selfie distance than at five feet.
Do video calls cause dissatisfaction with appearance?
Not necessarily. A survey of 335 adults linked self-focused video use with new appearance concerns, while a study of 618 adults found higher overall appearance satisfaction with greater video-chat use. These are associations, not proof of cause and effect.
Can watching myself on video calls increase appearance anxiety?
For some people, it may. A study of 191 Australian adults found associations between appearance-focused video-call behaviors, appearance anxiety and body dissatisfaction. It did not prove that watching yourself causes anxiety.
Is Zoom dysmorphia the same as body dysmorphic disorder?
No. Body dysmorphic disorder is a recognized mental health condition involving distressing preoccupation with perceived flaws. A review of body dysmorphic disorder and emerging appearance concerns in aesthetic surgery discusses Zoom dysmorphia separately and emphasizes appropriate psychological assessment.
Did Zoom dysmorphia increase interest in cosmetic procedures?
Research has found an association. A 2021 survey of dermatologists examined patients raising video-call concerns during cosmetic consultations, and a 2025 survey linked frequent self-viewing and filter use with procedure interest. Neither proves that Zoom alone caused someone to seek treatment.
Will hiding my self-view during video meetings help?
It may reduce repeated self-monitoring, although direct treatment evidence is limited. A study of 613 adults on facial appearance dissatisfaction and Zoom fatigue identified self-focused attention as a possible contributor to meeting fatigue.
Should I consider facial plastic surgery because I dislike how I look on Zoom?
Not from a webcam image alone. Research on camera-related facial distortion shows why screen images can be misleading, and a review of psychological assessment in aesthetic surgery supports evaluating expectations and appearance-related distress before considering treatment.
