Psychological change after aesthetic plastic surgery: a prospective controlled outcome study

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Plastic Surgery
• Psychometric Assessment

Background:

• Aesthetic plastic surgery is primarily sought for psychological benefits.
• Previous evaluations of psychological impact often lacked methodological rigor.
• Standardized psychometric instruments are crucial for accurate assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the psychological impact of aesthetic surgery on patients.
• To assess concerns related to breasts, nose, or upper limbs.
• To compare outcomes with general surgery patients.

Main Methods:

• Utilized standardized psychometric instruments: Crown-Crisp Experiential Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, and Derriford Appearance Scale-24.
• Recruited patients from a UK General Hospital's Plastic Surgery Unit and comparison groups from other surgical units.
• Collected data pre-operatively (T1), 3 months post-operatively (T2), and 12 months post-operatively (T3) for the plastic surgery group.

Main Results:

• Both aesthetic plastic surgery and general surgery groups showed reduced depression and anxiety post-operatively.
• The aesthetic plastic surgery group exhibited a significantly greater improvement in anxiety levels.
• Body site-specific appearance distress significantly improved in the aesthetic plastic surgery group, correlating with the affected area.

Conclusions:

• Aesthetic plastic surgery leads to significant psychological benefits, particularly in reducing anxiety and appearance-related distress.
• The degree of improvement in appearance distress is linked to the specific body site addressed by the surgery.
• Psychometric evaluation confirms the positive psychological impact of aesthetic interventions.