Local Community View of Aesthetic Surgery: Results of a Cross-Sectional Survey

Abstract

BackgroundAesthetic surgery has increased in popularity, reflecting the increased consumer demand. However, the variation in patients' ethnic and cultural beliefs has led to many challenges. Therefore, those who manage aesthetics should always listen and recognize the variability of cultural identities, desires, attitudes, anxieties, and uncertainties of the patient. Emerging from a diversity of cultures and its transforming trends, the scope of cosmetic surgery and its practice reflect not only the individual's personality but also the culture as a whole. When counseling an individual, one has to recognize that even in groups of seemingly identical social or cultural standards, there are subtle differences in attitude. AimTo assess the perception of the local community about aesthetic procedures and to determine the possible factors influencing their level of acceptance through a randomized cross-sectional survey. MethodologyA community-based, qualitative, cross-sectional study was performed through an anonymous questionnaire that was randomly distributed among the local population. Questions with regard to the sociodemographic data were implemented, as well as the core questions, to assess the perceptions that are based on the modified Acceptance of Cosmetic Surgery Scale (ACSS). ResultsA total of 857 participants responded to the study questionnaire. Their age ranged from 18 to more than 55 years, with a mean of 23.1 ± 12.9 years. Out of the total number, 630 (73.5%) were females while the remaining 227 (26.5%) were males. More than half of them were single (53.4%), and the remaining were married. Regarding perception, the highest score in percentage was for the interpersonal subscale (18.7 ± 7.9; 53.4%), followed by the consider subscale (18.2 7.2; 52%) and the social subscale (15.5 ± 7.9; 44.3%). The overall mean score was (52.4 ± 21.1; 49.9%). As for the procedure, the most intended was rhinoplasty (41.1%), followed by liposuction (32.9%), abdominoplasty (31.1%), face-lift (24.4%), reconstructive surgeries (24.4%), and lips filler (20.8%) while the least intended was gluteal flat grafting (8.7%). ConclusionsFemale patients are more eager to undergo cosmetic and aesthetic surgery compared to their male counterparts. Age did not have a major impact as a motive to look for cosmetic surgery.

Public Views About Cosmetic Procedures in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

“…The results of this study are consistent with prior studies about the demographic attributes, attitudes, and perceptions associated with cosmetic procedures. The frequency of female participants and the greater occurrence of cosmetic procedures among women align with other research undertaken in diverse cultural settings [27,[29][30][31]. The findings of this study align with previous scholarly works that suggest a higher propensity among younger individuals to pursue cosmetic interventions, potentially attributable to societal expectations and the impact of social media [32].…”