If you’ve caught yourself scrutinizing your face as it stares back at you on Zoom, you’re not alone. The ‘Zoom effect’ and its accompanying appearance anxiety has led to a rise in plastic surgery and cosmetic treatment inquiries as Americans seek to feel more confident in their own skin.

Rather than going under the knife to enhance and preserve their looks, many Britons are now opting for non-invasive treatments to lift, brighten, and tighten, ranging from Botox injections to microblading. Canvas8 spoke to eight people about which tweakments they would consider and why.

Cosmetic surgery is entering a new era as people seek to take greater ownership of their bodies. Fuelled by the openness of celebrities regarding their own treatments, they’re researching both invasive and non-invasive procedures that can augment their aesthetics to be social media-ready.

The clean living, body positive and no-make-up movements exemplify how perceptions of beauty are shifting to focus on wellness, inclusivity, and empowerment. But with a history of selling more hope than health and a culture obsessed with image, can the beauty sector ever be good for our wellbeing?