How Does Plastic Surgery Affect Teenagers
Before the makeover, DeLisa Stiles--a therapist and captain in the Army Reserves--complained of looking too masculine. But on Fox's reality TV makeover show, "The Swan 2," she morphed into a beauty queen after a slew of plastic surgery procedures--a brow lift, lower eye lift, mid-face lift, fat transfer to her lips and cheek folds, laser treatments for aging skin, tummy tuck, breast lift, liposuction of her inner thighs and dental procedures. The Fox show gives contestants plastic surgery and then has them compete in a beauty pageant, which last year Stiles won.
"The Swan" and other such plastic-surgery shows, including ABC's "Extreme Makeover" and MTV's "I Want a Famous Face," are gaining steam, but some psychologists are concerned about …show more content…
In 2004, about 240,682 cosmetic procedures were performed on patients 18 years old or younger, and the top surgical procedures were nose reshaping, breast lifts, breast augmentation, liposuction and tummy tucks. However, very few studies have been conducted to examine the safety and long-term risks of these procedures on adolescents--an age in which teenagers are still developing mentally and physically, Zuckerman says.When does changing your appearance qualify as body dysmorphic disorder (BDD)? BDD, first introduced in the revised third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 1987, is characterized by a preoccupation with an aspect of one's appearance. People with BDD repeatedly change or examine the offending body part to the point that the obsession interferes with other aspects of their life. Several studies show that 7 to 12 percent of plastic surgery patients have some form of BDD. Plus, the majority of BDD patients who have cosmetic surgery do not experience improvement in their BDD symptoms, often asking for multiple procedures on the same or other body …show more content…
Sarwer has teamed with other psychologists and plastic surgeons to develop such screening questionnaires, which are included in the book "Psychological Aspects of Reconstructive and Cosmetic Plastic Surgery: Clinical, Empirical and Ethical Perspectives" (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2005). The book, to be published this month, features a chapter on how to help both surgeons and mental health professionals screen for BDD, as well as explore the relationships among physical appearance, body image and psychosocial functioning.
Sarwer believes more psychologists will begin to examine issues related to cosmetic surgery because of its increasing popularity and the link between appearance, body image and many psychiatric disorders, such as eating disorders, social phobia and sexual functioning. "Scientifically, we're just starting to catch up to the popularity of [cosmetic surgery] in the population," Sarwer
"The Swan" and other such plastic-surgery shows, including ABC's "Extreme Makeover" and MTV's "I Want a Famous Face," are gaining steam, but some psychologists are concerned about …show more content…
In 2004, about 240,682 cosmetic procedures were performed on patients 18 years old or younger, and the top surgical procedures were nose reshaping, breast lifts, breast augmentation, liposuction and tummy tucks. However, very few studies have been conducted to examine the safety and long-term risks of these procedures on adolescents--an age in which teenagers are still developing mentally and physically, Zuckerman says.When does changing your appearance qualify as body dysmorphic disorder (BDD)? BDD, first introduced in the revised third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 1987, is characterized by a preoccupation with an aspect of one's appearance. People with BDD repeatedly change or examine the offending body part to the point that the obsession interferes with other aspects of their life. Several studies show that 7 to 12 percent of plastic surgery patients have some form of BDD. Plus, the majority of BDD patients who have cosmetic surgery do not experience improvement in their BDD symptoms, often asking for multiple procedures on the same or other body …show more content…
Sarwer has teamed with other psychologists and plastic surgeons to develop such screening questionnaires, which are included in the book "Psychological Aspects of Reconstructive and Cosmetic Plastic Surgery: Clinical, Empirical and Ethical Perspectives" (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2005). The book, to be published this month, features a chapter on how to help both surgeons and mental health professionals screen for BDD, as well as explore the relationships among physical appearance, body image and psychosocial functioning.
Sarwer believes more psychologists will begin to examine issues related to cosmetic surgery because of its increasing popularity and the link between appearance, body image and many psychiatric disorders, such as eating disorders, social phobia and sexual functioning. "Scientifically, we're just starting to catch up to the popularity of [cosmetic surgery] in the population," Sarwer