Dysmorphophobia: to be seen through the eyes of others

Health & FitnessBeauty

  • Author Dr Marco Morello
  • Published December 9, 2022
  • Word count 495

Body image issues used to be primarily a female problem.

However, in recent years, men have also gone down on their body image.

Discontentment with physical image is the main reason for most psychiatric disorders and is especially important for plastic surgeons to consider.

Dysmorphophobia, or body dysmorphic disorder, exposes the patient to a little-known, little-studied pathology and even under-diagnosed.

With the economic improvements that have taken place in Brazil and around the world, plastic surgery, which was previously considered to be available to certain individuals, has become available to members of the population who previously did not have access to such which resulted in aesthetic and functional improvements.

Most plastic surgeons have narrowed their view of the patient and have begun to care more about specific shapes or distortions, rather than the "global".

Dysmorphophobia, or body dysmorphic disorder, was first described in 1886 as being "a subjective physical ugliness or defect in which patients feel being watched by a third party, though that appearance be considered within normal limits”. 4 the body is a cause of much suffering, rejected and regarded as dispassionately worthless and, therefore, subject to extreme unnecessary procedures or neglect.

Usually this condition is not diagnosed because patients do not look for enough complaints from patients or they tend to worry only about somatic alterations.

The dysmorphic patient lives in constant stress because he cannot control the disturbances linked to his negative body, which he believes to possess, even when he is assured everything is fine and that the defect is insignificant or non-existent.

It is a worry that harms his understanding or body recognition.

These disturbances distort the image that the patient has of him leading to an obsession with a perfect body image transforming small imperfections into real monstrosities, which leads to a lot of suffering and social isolation, professional and family.

In an effort to change their appearance, BDD patients consult various professionals, including plastic surgeons

subsequently , after being dissatisfied with the results, undergo further procedures for the same complaint or another part of the body which then becomes the focus of attention.

It is of the utmost importance that health care providers know to recognize the symptoms of body shape phobia and thoroughly investigate disorders by patients before administering any procedures.

A plastic surgeon uninformed in respect to dysmorphophobia may personal damage or even help to prolong the disorder the patient over time, while the procedures are being

This professional will be faced with a psychologically altered who, in the post-operative phase, is dissatisfied, returns frequently the doctor's office showing baseless complaints, and even proposes need for new surgical procedures as a form of his dissatisfaction with the recently performed procedure.

Surgery is formally contraindicated for these patients, since, besides being in agreement concerning their expectations, the disorder may which can result in legal claims, or verbal, or physical, aggression.

Treatment is based on specialist monitoring by a psychologist and , and medication is prescribed to treat anxiety and obsession.

  1. Pavan C, Simonato P, Marini M, Mazzoleni F, Pavan L, Vindigni V. Psychopathologic aspects of body dysmorphic disorder: a literature review. Aesthetic Plast Surg.

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