Borderline personality disorder and aesthetic plastic surgery

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Plastic Surgery

Background:

• Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a complex psychiatric condition.
• The DSM-5 criteria for BPD can be confusing for surgeons.
• Individuals with BPD exhibit impulsivity and self-injury, impacting surgical candidacy.

Observation:

• Patients with BPD may seek plastic surgery for self-injury treatment or aesthetic procedures.
• Requests can involve multiple body parts, driven by fear of abandonment or impulsivity.
• Preoccupation with appearance in BPD is often transient and shifts between body parts.

Findings:

• Recognizing BPD in plastic surgery settings is crucial.
• Treatment of BPD patients in plastic surgery is challenging.
• Surgery is generally not recommended for individuals with BPD.

Implications:

• Surgeons must be aware of BPD signs and nuances.
• Flexible psychological approaches are needed for BPD patients.
• Inflexible adherence to unrealistic requests and timely psychiatric referral are advised.