Research Suggests The Connection Of Rhinoplasty And Mental Health Problem

PRLog (Press Release) - May 10, 2012 - According to the latest research, one third of patients who are looking for cosmetic surgery like rhinoplasty or nose-job have mild symptoms of a mental health disorder. This makes them so concerned about their physical appearances. Slight changes of their looks make them feel anxious and these conditions could lead to bad to worse.
This mental disorder is commonly known as Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). Numbers in the study say that 10% of Rhinoplasty patients had this kind of problem. Also, in 2010, 252, 000 Rhinoplasty procedures were done in the United States. This is according to the American Society Of Plastic Surgeons and they say that 3% of the population is considered to have Body Dysmorphic Disorder.
Peter W. Hellings, MD, PhD the associate professor ofotorhinolaryngology at University Hospitals Leuven in Belgium says,"It's higher than we thought, we found 40% had some BDD symptoms, but 33% had at least moderate symptoms of BDD."
He continues, "They have symptoms, but not the full diagnosis,I would say half of them have the full disorder." This study has been published in Plastic And Reconstructive Surgery. 
The high percentage of BDD symptoms does not surprise Arie Winograd, LMFT. He is a psychotherapist and the director of Los Angeles Body Dysmorphic Disorder & Body Image Clinic. He says, "If someone wants to get rhinoplasty, chances are something is going on psychologically,” he continues, “I suspect that these numbers maybe even higher than what Hellings discovered.”
“Those who are actually seeking help for functional reasons may actually have BDD symptoms,” he also adds. However he also pointed out that "just because someone has BDD doesn't mean they get a cosmetic surgery."
Some doctors however have other, more considerate opinion. Dr. David B. Sarwer the associate professor of psychology at the Center for Human Appearance at Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania says, “We know body image dissatisfaction falls on a continuum, and there has to be some degree of dissatisfaction that leads us to see a plastic surgeon in the first place,” he continues, “It’s when it begins to interfere with daily functioning. Patients with more severe B.D.D. struggle to maintain social relationships and have difficulty getting to work or staying employed.”
According to http://rhinoplastyofbeverlyhills.com, “we don’t have any control of how these people think, the most important thing is that we help them cope with their needs…”
In conclusion, Winogard has these words to say, as a possible solution to the problem. "All I can do is educate them that perhaps right now isn't the time to make that decision,” He urges for the continued treatment of BDD. This way, if a person already feels better about himself and his image, he may forget the idea of having surgery.