THE BEAUTY GURUS

WE’VE COME A LONG WAY from the days of COVID yore, when venturing to Whole Foods felt as strange and lonely as one of Offred’s trips to Loaves and Fishes. (Blessed be the fruit.) And now that we’ve accepted that masks are fashion and hugs are a threat, many of us are finding solace in an unusual place: the cosmetic surgeon’s office.

Recently, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons surveyed Americans’ attitudes toward cosmetic and reconstructive procedures during the pandemic. Forty-nine percent of those who hadn’t had any work done said they were open it. Botox has been the most asked-for procedure during this time (65 percent of plastic surgeons report getting requests), while breast augmentation comes in second.

What aesthetic docs have dubbed the “Zoom effect” has forced us to take a long, hard look at ourselves — literally. “When you spend the majority of the workday on video conferences, it’s only a matter of time before you begin to wonder what a lift here or a tweak there could do,” says Carolyn Jacob, medical director of Chicago Cosmetic Surgery and Dermatology. Then there’s the boredom and, at the most basic human level, a desire to make ourselves feel better. “People are desperate for mood boosters right now, and when you look good, you feel good,” says plastic surgeon Steven Dayan. And when you consider the opportunity that mask wearing and sheltering in place present for recovery out of public view, the slope from pandemic to plastic starts to feel pretty slippery indeed.

Imagining yourself with smoother skin or killer curves is the easy part; finding a doctor who can bring the dream to satisfying fruition is where things get complicated — there’s the research, the vetting, the fretting. But you’ve been through quite enough this year, so we’ve done the hardest part for you, combing through hundreds of Chicago-area pros to arrive at the best in every cosmetic category. Concerned about undergoing an elective procedure during a pandemic? Consider that the folks who made it onto this list require masks and temperature checks; most have installed HEPA filters in air-circulation systems; and many are taking additional measures, such as using nasal sanitizing mists after facial injections.

LASER FOCUSED

Acne and Rosacea

Brittony Croasdell

Some magicians have magic wands; others, like Croasdell, have lasers. In a single treatment with the BBL Hero, the newest and most powerful