Does cosmetic surgery improve psychosocial wellbeing?
Both men and women are becoming increasingly concerned about their physical appearance and are seeking cosmetic enhancement. Most studies report that people are generally happy with the outcome of cosmetic procedures, but little rigorous evaluation has been done. More extensive ("type change") procedures (eg, rhinoplasty) appear to require greater psychological adjustment by the patient than "restorative" procedures (eg, face-lift). Patients who have unrealistic expectations of outcome are more likely to be dissatisfied with cosmetic procedures. Some people are never satisfied with cosmetic interventions, despite good procedural outcomes. Some of these have a psychiatric disorder called "body dysmorphic disorder".
Castle
David J
DJ
Mental Health Research Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC. dcastle@mhri.edu.au
Honigman
Roberta J
RJ
Phillips
Katharine A
KA
D001828:Body Image; D018849:Controlled Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D012649:Self Concept; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery*; D013518:Surgery, Plastic / Q000523:psychology*