Many patients, through plastic surgery, have been able to experience reduced levels of depression and anxiety, as well as greater acceptance and a greater sense of satisfaction. It has also been shown to increase motivation and improve overall quality of life. Most studies indicate that, in general, people are satisfied with the outcome of cosmetic procedures, but few rigorous evaluations have been performed. Turns out so, according to a new study. It may seem like common sense when you look at it, but clinically speaking, surgically treating a part of the body that causes anxiety and insecurities can help you deal with those same negative feelings.
According to these reports, plastic surgery produces a positive psychological effect on the patient. It was found that people who underwent plastic surgery experienced a better quality of life, compared to those who chose not to have it. This applies to both functional and cosmetic surgery.It seems that most patients undergoing cosmetic surgery have a good prognosis in psychological and psychosocial terms. Both men and women are increasingly concerned about their physical appearance and are looking for an aesthetic improvement.
The interesting thing is that studies have shown that plastic surgery can also improve physical and psychological health, making people feel happier. They searched appropriate computerized databases to find studies that evaluated psychological and psychosocial status before and after elective cosmetic surgery. Physicians and researchers have tried over the years to evaluate whether the improvement in psychosocial well-being after an aesthetic improvement can be objectively verified, but few methodologically sound studies have been conducted. Psychiatric literature studies suggest that patients with body dysmorphic disorder often have a poor psychosocial prognosis after cosmetic procedures and that, from time to time, patients with this disorder are even violent with the treating surgeon. The above review reveals that there is only rigorous and limited scientific data to help doctors predict who will do poorly psychologically and psychosocially after an aesthetic procedure.
Plastic surgery remains popular even at the beginning of the new decade. Many people undergo it for both functional and aesthetic reasons. Despite this, the question of why people would want to replace their natural features with cosmetic surgery is still on the minds of many people. The obvious answer is the desire to do so.
There is also the problem of how representative the study samples are and, therefore, whether the study results can be generalized to the larger population of people seeking and receiving cosmetic improvements. Several studies reported improved social functioning, relationships, and overall quality of life4,18,21—26 after cosmetic surgery procedures. Researchers from the Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy at the University Ruhr-Universität Bochum analyzed the postoperative experience of 544 people who underwent cosmetic surgery and compared them to 246 people who had considered having surgery but in the end chose not to do it, and with about 1000 people who never considered surgery. Some of the studies have important methodological strengths, such as the large number of subjects 4,14,22,26,33 and a clear delimitation of the procedures aesthetic.
Most patients with BDD who have undergone a cosmetic procedure report that it was not satisfactory and did not lessen concerns about their appearance.
