Plastic Surgery Addiction

You may have seen several reality TV shows dedicated to showing the different facets of plastic surgery. Some showcase the surgeons as they try to help their patients. Others feature people who have dedicated their life to achieving “that certain look.” One or two procedures can lift someone's self esteem. But many that you see on these shows can take it too far.

The truth is, plastic surgery addiction is a serious disease with real consequences.

What Plastic Surgery Addiction Is

Plastic surgery is a catch-all term for superficial surgeries—meaning they only involve the skin or subcutaneous tissue.

There are two categories of plastic surgery:

  • Reconstructive
  • Cosmetic

Reconstructive surgery is usually a medical procedure that happens after an accident that affects the person's appearance. Skin grafting or fixing broken noses are very common examples of reconstructive surgery. 

Cosmetic surgeries are those that people voluntarily choose to change their appearance. They are purely aesthetic surgeries. These are procedures like fillers, tummy tucking, nose jobs, and other body modifications. 

Plastic surgery addiction is a behavioral addiction that’s defined by the compulsive need to alter your appearance through cosmetic surgeries.

What Causes Plastic Surgery Addiction?

While this addiction might seem far-fetched for some people, the influences that cause this addiction affect everyone on some level.

Social Media

Social media has proven to be not helpful for mental health. Viewing social media is not a direct cause of plastic surgery addiction, but it can certainly set off a chain of events. 

People typically post a very curated version of themselves. It’s not real, and even when someone is trying to be real, their words and camera angles are well thought. It’s not their everyday life, but their branded self. 

Comparison is the thief of joy, and social media is known to create a culture of comparison. Edited pictures of someone’s life could make most people feel jealous. However, people with self-esteem and body image issues are almost certain to feel worse about themselves.

While the degradation of someone’s self-image isn’t certain to lead to plastic surgery addiction, it is likely to lead to other mental health conditions that may eventually lead to plastic surgery addiction. 

Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is the biggest cause of plastic surgery addiction. BDD is a psychiatric disorder categorized by a person’s intense and not always true perceptions of an imagined or small defect of one’s appearance. 1-2% of the population will experience BDD, but up to 15% of plastic surgery patients experience it.

This disorder is often accompanied by obsessive-compulsive behaviors. These include:

  • Staring at the mirror
  • Constantly seeking reassurance
  • Skin picking
  • Hiding the “defect” through makeup or clothes
  • Disordered eating

These compulsive behaviors are used to pacify the anxiety felt about the person’s appearance.

Body dysmorphic disorder can develop for several reasons such as childhood trauma and genetic predisposition. However, unrealistic expectations of beauty and perfectionism are other forces that can contribute to this disorder.

Seeking treatment for trauma helps stop any mental health disorders that can develop as a result. Plastic surgery addiction is one form of a behavioral addiction that is often rooted in traumatic experiences. Sequoia Behavioral Health takes special care in treating trauma.

Signs of Plastic Surgery Addiction

Those who are addicted to plastic surgery will show some consistent signs. Remember, getting plastic surgery doesn’t mean there’s a behavioral addiction, or BDD, associated with it. However, there are certain signs of addiction to keep an eye out for.

Common signs of plastic surgery addiction include:

  • Multiple procedures at once
  • Multiple surgeries in quick succession
  • Fixation on the next surgery
  • Seeking a new surgeon after a prior surgeon refuses to do a procedure
  • Unrealistic expectations of the results

Someone addicted to plastic surgery might choose to ignore the risks of multiple surgeries and change plastic surgeons to continue receiving surgeries. This is dangerous and there are many risks associated with it.

Risks and Dangers

No surgery is 100% risk-free. Even minor procedures can go wrong. When seeking out multiple cosmetic procedures the likelihood of these complications increases.

  • Infection
  • The inability to heal
  • Loss of function
  • Numbness or loss of sensation
  • Migrating implants or fillers

Some cosmetic surgeries are associated with huge risks, one of which has a death rate of about 1 out of 3,000. 

Procedures are not quick fixes, and they typically don’t give people the instant gratification they were looking for. The healing process after surgery is often a difficult ordeal. In most cases, swelling or bruising occurs after the procedure. This can be detrimental to a person’s self-esteem, and create mental health problems. 

This isn’t to mention the huge financial burden associated with this addiction. The average cost of a plastic surgery procedure is $5,377. Maintaining such a costly addiction is likely to cause extreme financial burdens. 

The Connection with Opioid Use Disorder

To combat the pain felt after plastic surgery, surgeons will often prescribe opioids. Although they are helpful, opioids are notoriously addictive. Even when taken as prescribed, patients can become dependent. 

Individuals who are constantly going under the knife will be taking a lot of opioids. This will increase the likelihood of a prescription opioid addiction.

Treatment for Plastic Surgery Addiction

Overcoming plastic surgery addiction means embracing who you are, not altering it. 

The approach to treating plastic surgery addiction is similar to other addictions. Talk therapy has been shown to help patients significantly. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is generally the most effective method. 

Addiction treatment is not one-size-fits-all. Therapists need to be versed in body dysmorphic disorder to tailor the treatment to the individual. BDD is a powerful thing and it takes time and effort to overcome it. 

Therapists might also choose to prescribe antidepressants to accompany treatment. These help balance out any chemical signals that are being disruptive.

Treating plastic surgery addiction requires a holistic approach. This involves treating any underlying issues. This is what Sequoia Behavioral Health is all about. We make efforts to understand every individual’s history and needs. Talk therapy and medication management are part of that holistic approach. Reach out today  start treatment.