Predictors of cosmetic surgery and its effects on psychological factors and mental health: a population-based follow-up study among Norwegian females

There is limited information about psychological predictors of cosmetic surgery and how cosmetic surgery influences subsequent changes in mental health and overall appearance satisfaction. To date, there is a lack of studies examining this issue, whereby representative population samples are assesse...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Psychological medicine 2012-03, Vol.42 (3), p.617-626
Main Authors: von Soest, T., Kvalem, I. L., Wichstrøm, L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescence
Adolescent
Adolescents
Age
Alcohol
Alcohol Drinking - epidemiology
alcohols
Anxiety
Anxiety-Depression
Biological and medical sciences
Body Image
Child
Cosmetic surgery
Cosmetics
Data collection
Data collections
Data processing
Depression
Drug abuse
Drugs
Female
Females
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Linear Models
Logistic Models
Male
Medical sciences
Mental disorders
Mental Disorders - epidemiology
Mental Health
Motivation
Norway
Norway - epidemiology
Patient Satisfaction
Postoperative anxiety
Psychological aspects
Psychology
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Self-Injurious Behavior - epidemiology
Sexual behavior
Sexual Behavior - statistics & numerical data
Socioeconomic Factors
Surgery
Surgery, Plastic - psychology
Surgery, Plastic - statistics & numerical data
Young Adult
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Summary:There is limited information about psychological predictors of cosmetic surgery and how cosmetic surgery influences subsequent changes in mental health and overall appearance satisfaction. To date, there is a lack of studies examining this issue, whereby representative population samples are assessed at an age before cosmetic surgery is typically conducted and followed up after such surgery has commonly been performed. We obtained data from a survey study following 1597 adolescent females from a representative Norwegian sample over a 13-year period. Participants provided information on cosmetic surgery, appearance satisfaction, mental health, risky sexual behavior, drug use and conduct problems at two time-points (overall response rate 67%). Of all participants, 78 (4.9%) reported having undergone cosmetic surgery, of whom 71 were operated on during the course of the study and seven before the first data collection. Symptoms of depression and anxiety [odds ratio (OR) 1.66, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07-2.57] and a history of deliberate self-harm (OR 2.88, 95% CI 1.46-5.68), parasuicide (OR 3.29, 95% CI 1.53-7.08) and illicit drug use (OR 2.46, 95% CI 1.07-5.82) predicted prospective cosmetic surgery. Moreover, those who underwent surgery during the course of the study experienced a greater increase than other females in symptoms of depression and anxiety (t=2.07, p=0.04) and eating problems (t=2.71, p
ISSN:0033-2917
1469-8978
DOI:10.1017/S0033291711001267