Body dysmorphic disorder and addiction to medical aesthetic procedures

Abstract

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), or dysmorphophobia, is the preoccupation with an imagined defect in appearance that leads to significant distress and impairments to daily functioning. Due to their lack of insight, individuals with BDD believe that cosmetic procedures will be the solution to their insecurities, even though they rarely get satisfaction from them. Cosmetic procedures can then become an addiction, as patients never reach full satisfaction. In response to this issue, aesthetic practitioners need to identify those presenting with BDD by administering a questionnaire that asks how many cosmetic surgeries the individual has had previously, before continuing with any aesthetic procedure. Those who show signs of BDD can then be referred to mental health professionals for specialised treatments, such as medications, cognitive behavioural therapy, exposure and response prevention, and family support.

Impact of body and orofacial appearance on life satisfaction among Brazilian adults

“…The second situation, on the other hand, should serve as a warning to the professional to balance the risks and benefits of the procedure, since the patient may have body dysmorphia disorder or more generalized symptoms, such as anxiety. In such cases, patients may even experience a momentary satisfaction with the esthetic procedure; however, this may not be enough to bring them long-term benefits and satisfaction [5,55]. Thus, the professional should have the ability to suspect and identify possible patients with these conditions and to refer them to specialized professionals, such as psychologists and psychiatrists, for diagnosis and the elaboration of an adequate follow-up and/or treatment plan.…”

“…Thus, we expect that the results of this study could help health care professionals to develop and improve a holistic view of human subjects, which would assist the development of patientcentered treatment plans. It is suggested that a detailed anamnesis be performed, including psychometric scales (such as those used in the present study) and a question about how many aesthetic treatments the patient has had previously [5]. In this regard, it is also important that curricula for training courses and continuing education programs are steadily enhanced, updating current social issues and new scientific evidence and methodology located at the frontier of different fields of knowledge.…”

“…This can trigger behaviors such as, for example, changes in eating habits [2], consumption of substances to change the body [3], and the use of esthetic and surgical procedures [4]. Excessive concern with one's own physical appearance, as well as the compulsive adoption of these body-altering behaviors, are predictors of mental disorders such as eating disorders [2], body dysmorphic disorders [5], and anxiety [5].…”

Aesthetic dental treatment, orofacial appearance, and life satisfaction of Finnish and Brazilian adults

“…Thus, the results also suggest that the demand for aesthetic dental treatment is not always solely motivated by a desire to improve a single physical aspect, pointing to the potential risks that treatments carried out indiscriminately and without individualized planning may have. This is because, in some cases, the demand for aesthetic dental treatment may be associated with psychological symptoms or disorders (e.g., dysmorphic disorder) [ 56 ] or social pressures as discussed above. For these, performing the aesthetic treatment may not have a long-term benefit [ 1 , 56 ] and may also contribute to worsening psychological symptoms or disorders and to the maintenance of social pressures and inequalities.…”

“…This is because, in some cases, the demand for aesthetic dental treatment may be associated with psychological symptoms or disorders (e.g., dysmorphic disorder) [ 56 ] or social pressures as discussed above. For these, performing the aesthetic treatment may not have a long-term benefit [ 1 , 56 ] and may also contribute to worsening psychological symptoms or disorders and to the maintenance of social pressures and inequalities. As a result, no benefit, or even a negative impact on the patient’s well-being, may be observed.…”