Nasal deformity and interpersonal problems

Several studies in facial plastic surgery have suggested that changes in body image that initiate a positive psychological cycle play an important role in a successful outcome. The change in the patient's self-perception leads to a sense of well-being, rather than there being a direct impact from the changed features. One area in which this change in self-perception may be manifest is in the development and maintenance of interpersonal relationships. Due to the impact of negative body image preoperatively, we hypothesized that patients with nasal deformity may have problems with their interpersonal relationships. This theory was tested using the IIP-32: a short version of the inventory of interpersonal problems. A prospective trial was undertaken of 27 rhinoplasty patients with nasal deformity and 16 septoplasty patients without nasal deformity, the latter group used as a control. The results show that the null hypothesis that the two groups are from the same population on all dimensions of the IIP-32 cannot be rejected (total mean score 0.753). From this data, it seems that patients with nasal deformity have no more difficulties in their interpersonal relationships and, as such, this particular issue cannot be used in support of rhinoplasty surgery.