Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Abstract

The number of patients with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), a mental disorder where patients spend the majority of their time worrying about slight or un-noticeable flaws in their appearances, has greatly increased over the past decades, according to cosmetic surgeons. While cosmetic surgeries have become more popular than ever over the past decades, physicians in this field have reported their frequent encounter of body dysmorphic patients. It is important to understand that patients struggling with BDD are in need of psychological assistance, not surgical help. These patients do not need surgeries, but instead, should be referred to psychologists, who would work on the patients’ sense of self perception and self-esteem. A deeper understanding of BDD will allow physicians to make the correct medical calls and refer BDD patients to psychological facilities, instead of operating on them.