Is the needle as risky as the knife? The prevalence and risks of body dysmorphic disorder in women undertaking minor cosmetic procedures.

Objectives: Body dysmorphic disorder is commonly considered a contraindication for major cosmetic surgery, but whether body dysmorphic disorder relates to poorer outcomes from minor cosmetic treatment remains unknown. This study aimed to explore the prevalence of body dysmorphic disorder in clients seeking non-surgical cosmetic procedures and to examine whether body dysmorphic disorder clients are vulnerable in minor cosmetic settings. Vulnerability was explored in terms of psychological distress, unrealistic expectations and motivations for treatment outcome, and reduced satisfaction with past cosmetic procedures.

Assessing Unrealistic Expectations in Clients Undertaking Minor Cosmetic Procedures: The Development of the Aesthetic Procedure Expectations Scale.

To develop and validate a novel patient-reported measure to assess internally and externally driven expectations for change after a cosmetic procedure, termed the aesthetic procedure expectations (ASPECT) scale. In total, 186 adults recruited from nonsurgical cosmetic clinics in Melbourne, Australia, accessed an online survey (150 completed; 81% response rate) including the novel ASPECT questionnaire, demographics, and measures of psychological distress. The final sample included 141 women and 5 men with a mean age of 44.