Why are surgeons too quick to nip and tuck?

The internet is full of cosmetic and plastic surgery stories. Both flop and successful treatments grab the attention of the public. Though the success rate is high if an expert has been selected, risk does exist. Most of the plastic surgeons give an honest opinion but some of them are in it to make money at the cost of patient’s loss. This article discusses when body dysmorphic disorder plastic surgery is not the solution. Please continue reading to learn more about it.

The Appearance Problem

Every society has some standards of beauty and these standards may vary from society to society. All of us want to look attractive and beautiful. Some of us take practical steps to look a certain way. A small population among us takes cosmetic procedures to look better. It is normal to think that you should change a particular part of the face or body. But for people with body dysmorphic disorder, these issues become an obsession and constant focus of concern.

What is the Body Dysmorphic Disorder?

The Body Dysmorphic Disorder refers to a psychiatric condition where the affected person adopts extremely distorted negative beliefs about his or her appearances. The people with this condition will consider themselves hideous, ugly, malformed, or misshapen all the time. The problem is; they are not actually that much worse; they just overthink about their appearance.

The research studies elaborate that such beliefs do not reflect the reality of how they appear to others. This condition is found in all parts of the world and there are more than 2% of people who think like this. The mirror has been found to be a major problem for people with body dysmorphic disorder because the affected people keep checking the mirror again and again.

Some people with this condition may stop checking the mirror altogether. They may develop a great deal of fear and anger for their appearance that they even avoid facing themselves. It is common for people with this condition to hide under hats, scarves, wigs, dark glasses or excessive layers of makeup or concealing clothing in an attempt to hide their supposed defects.

Experts suggest not avoiding the person with such beliefs because they can lead to a substantial distress and social and occupational impairment. The rate of depression and the risk of suicide is high in such people if the nearby people do not treat the person properly. The persons with such beliefs start avoiding people and their life becomes devastated. Such people should see a psychiatrist and seek proper mental treatment.

What About Cosmetic Solutions?

After reading the details about the persons with body dysmorphic disorder, you may get to know the link between cosmetic surgery and the people with this condition. Research shows that the people who are affected by this problem might consider cosmetic surgery as a solution.

The people who regularly visit dentists, plastic surgeons, and dermatologists are often found to have body dysmorphic disorder. The truth is; the cosmetic surgery cannot address the psychological problems. The doctors who come across such behaviors should not monetize them; they should refer the person to a psychiatrist. It is also good for the doctors because such patients will never become satisfied with the results they get.

The person suffering from this mental disorder may keep taking cosmetic surgeries one after another. The obsession with the perfect looks may not decrease and the situation may become worse with each surgery. The plastic surgeons need to identify and guide such people about their unrealistic views.

How Can These Outcomes Be Avoided?

An increasing population now seeks cosmetic procedures and plastic surgeons should now screen the body dysmorphic disorder patients to save their time and name. The law in some countries makes plastic surgeons to screen the patients of body dysmorphic disorder. Some plastic surgeons are sensitive about such people and they do guide them and ask them to see a psychiatrist. Due to lack of awareness and moral courage, some plastic surgeons are still playing with such people.

It is the need of the hour to make it mandatory for doctors and surgeons to screen their patients. If there is a person with obsessive views about the appearance, that person should be referred to a specialist. There are different psychological therapies and medications to treat them. The cosmetic clinics may hire a person who could provide counselling to them.

The doctors must have screening tools to know which of their patient needs mental treatment. However, there are chances of mistakes because we cannot expect all clients to answer questionnaires truthfully. The cosmetic specialists need to sort out the people with disorders. It will not only help that person but also to them. At the end of the day, it would be ideal if cosmetic specialists did everything in their power to fulfil their ethical obligations.