Body Dysmorphic Disorder and Plastic Surgery

In a recent NPR and CNN report, Dr. Anthony Youn, a board certified plastic surgeon, exposes the dark side of plastic surgery.

He doesn't want to talk about scarring or botched jobs however, but an issue that goes more than just skin deep.

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a psychological condition that causes people to have a skewed view of themselves. They often go to great measures to look "perfect", and usually are never satisfied.

The occurrence of BDD in plastic surgery patients isn't really surprising at all. About 20 to 30% of patients exhibit some symptoms of BDD, but plastic surgeons weren't really talking about it until now.

Recognizing BDD is important for a patient's health and well-being, and it can also protect plastic surgeons as well. Dr. Youn actually turns down one out of every five cosmetic surgery patients for this reason alone, mainly because no matter how good the surgery is, the patient will never be happy with the result.

If you or someone you know if suffering from BDD, it's important to seek psychological counseling, because changing your insides (contrary to popular belief) is the only effective way for a person to feel truly good about themselves.

To learn more, read the full article: Mirror, Mirror - Body Dysmorphic Disorder and Plastic Surgery