Perception Toward Cosmetic Surgeries Among Adults in Saudi Arabia and Its Associated Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study

This study assessed the acceptance of cosmetic surgery among the Saudi population and examined its relationship with body dysmorphic disorder and the participants' demographic characteristics.

A cross-sectional study was conducted between June 2023 and February 2024. A sample of 1368 participants were recruited from hospitals, clinics, and public places such as malls, parks, and universities and were asked to complete a self-administered, pre-validated, and open-access questionnaire about the presence of body dysmorphic disorder using the BDD scale and the acceptance of cosmetic surgery using the ACSS scale, analyzed using IBM Corp. Released 2015. IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 23.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.

More than half of the participants were female, single, and had a higher educational level. Only 3.0% of the participants had previously undergone cosmetic surgery (CS). Rhinoplasty was the most common cosmetic surgery performed by both genders. More than half of the participants indicated that they had concerns about their appearance, which caused them distress, torment, or pain. However, only one-third of the participants demonstrated acceptance toward CS. There was a significant positive correlation between body dysmorphic disorders (BDD) and acceptance of the cosmetic surgery scale (ACSS). Moreover, higher significant acceptance for CS (p-value is <0.001) was observed in females, south region, 32- to 40-year-olds, postgraduate degrees of education, married persons, and those undergoing previous cosmetic surgery.

Concerns about appearance causing distress were prevalent among participants, yet acceptance of cosmetic surgery was moderate. Individuals with higher levels of BDD symptoms are more inclined to view cosmetic surgery as a viable solution to their perceived concerns about their appearance. Moreover, being female, from the southern region, aged 32 to 40 years, with postgraduate education, married individuals, and having prior cosmetic surgery experience are motives to accept CS. These findings underscore the complex interplay between psychological factors and demographic characteristics in shaping the acceptance of cosmetic surgery.