Plastic Surgeons’ Attitudes and Understanding of Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Abstract

Introduction Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) involves an intense preoccupation with perceived or minor defects in physical appearance. Patients with BDD often experience dissatisfaction across various domains, including mental and physical well-being, relationships, and role functioning. Purpose This study evaluated the awareness, knowledge, and attitudes of plastic surgeons in Saudi Arabia toward BDD. Participants and methods This was a cross-sectional study that included board-certified plastic surgeons in Saudi Arabia. The data was collected through a self-administered survey from July 2022 until May 2023. The total number of participants was 213. The survey includes questions about demographic data, familiarity with BDD, and participant's attitudes toward BDD. The questionnaire was adapted from Bouman et al.'s study. Results Most of the participants were familiar with the clinical picture of BDD; 46.9% were reasonably familiar with the clinical picture of BDD, and 11.3% were totally familiar with the diagnosis. Furthermore, the most common symptoms frequently seen in patients with BDD were "dissatisfaction with previous cosmetic surgery" (68.5%) and "unusual/excessive requests for cosmetic surgery" (67.6%). However, only 21.1% of participants will consult a psychiatrist/psychologist about what to do before proceeding to a cosmetic procedure. Notably, the potential verbal and physical aggression encountered by our participants was 85% among patients with BDD. Conclusion This research demonstrated that plastic surgeons exhibit a high familiarity with BDD. Also, the findings of the current study could be valuable in shaping policies and providing recommendations to assist plastic surgeons and cosmetic treatment institutes in managing BDD patients. Subsequently, a significant proportion of our participants reported receiving threats from BDD patients. Therefore, this highlights the need to explore the risk of post-surgery violence in individuals with BDD.