This commentary evaluates trends in the factors influencing consumer decision-making for cosmetic dermatologic procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. This is a follow-up national survey to one that was published 1 year ago. This study compares the data from Summer 2020 to early Summer 2021, which presents a stark contrast. Our results demonstrate that consumers are now more interested in cosmetic dermatologic procedures compared to 1 year prior. Additionally, they still value the overall safety of the clinic, so physicians should ensure that certain safety measures remain in place despite any decreasing rates of COVID-19 positivity. Our survey sheds more light on current consumer perspectives, which may in turn help physicians adjust their practices to meet current demand. It is important for physicians to be knowledgeable regarding the patterns of consumer decision-making in order to deliver appropriate patient education and provide proper patient outreach during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Non-invasive body contouring has experienced recent growth. To meet demand, medical spas and non-physician operators have grown. Insights into their practice can provide information on their impact.
OBJECTIVE: Our study investigated the current market distribution of body contouring providers in the aesthetic field.
METHODS: For the 30 most populous cities, data were collected for non-invasive body contouring providers in medical spas and physician practices. Descriptive ratios were calculated, and various local factors were examined.
RESULTS: The cities with the greatest number of body contouring providers were New York (138), Los Angeles (106), and Houston (87). Population size had a significant relationship, while median household income did not. For number of body contouring providers per 100 000 persons, the top cities were Austin (4.87), Houston (3.74), and Las Vegas (3.41). The mean ratio of providers in medical spas to physician practices was 1.81. In total, 70.0% of cities had equal or more body contouring providers in medical spas than physician practices.
CONCLUSIONS: Certain cities have experienced an unequal distribution of body contouring providers, and many cities are skewed in favor of medical spas over physician-based practices.