Cosmetic treatment, what are the reasons to do it?

Minimally invasive cosmetic treatments are increasing every year. Nowadays it is more and more accepted. When you think of cosmetic procedures, you quickly think of injectables such as botulinum toxin, fillers, but also peels and various laser treatments to look less tired and make the skin more radiant. But cosmetic treatments of disturbing birthmarks, acne scars, rosacea telangiectasia, thickened scars, alopecia, excess hair, cellulite, stubborn and diet-resistant belly fat, wine stain, excessive sweating, HIV lipodystrophy in the face and tattoo are also included.

Study

In this study, 30 people who have already undergone a procedure or are considering having it performed were interviewed. There were 7 men and 23 women with a mean age of 41.9 years.

Eight different themes were discussed. 1. Emotional and mental health (self-confidence, self-awareness, stigma) 2. Cosmetic appearance (normal, better, younger looking, better in the picture) 3. Physical health (fear of decay, infection) 4. success at work and/or school 5. social well-being (social fears, relationship, upcoming social event) 6. cost and/or convenience 7. procedural perceptions (clinic reviews, physician reputation) and 8. timing of treatment (a lifestyle change, financial).

What are the reasons:

The following motivations for having a procedure were: desire to improve emotional state/happiness, to improve mental well-being/self-esteem, to improve overall appearance, to reduce physical ailments, to increase self-confidence in a professional environment, to reduce social anxiety, and to spend less time and/or energy or money spent on hiding the physical imperfection. The reputation of the healthcare provider was also important to patients, as was the effectiveness and longevity of the method.

It is mainly the physical and psychosocial issues that lead to cosmetic treatment. Different perceptions of a condition cause a shift from a patient-centered approach. It is important to focus on the different experience of the problem.

Literature

Waldman A, Maisel A, Weil A, Iyengar S, Sacotte K, Lazaroff JM, Kurumety S, Shaunfield SL, Reynolds KA, Poon E, Robinson JK, Alam M. Patients believe that cosmetic procedures affect their quality of life: An interview study of patient-reported motivations. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2019 Jun;80(6):1671-1681.

Now that you are here

The definition of beauty is subjective and different for everyone. The well-known saying ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder’. Beauty is determined culturally and by the person who beholds it. In addition, the beauty industry, social media influencers and advertisements also have strong influences on our view of beauty. French researchers were curious about how women think about beauty and which means they seized to combat skin aging. Means such as injectables (botulinum toxin, fillers), lasers and skin care were also included in the study. A total of 1000 women participated in the study and their ages ranged from 25-70 years. For more: beauty is different for everyone

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