Comparison of Frequency of Body Dysmorphic Disorder in Applicants of Abdominoplasty with Applicants of Other Cosmetic Surgeries

BACKGROUND: Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is a psychic disorder in which a person is dissatisfied with their normal appearance. Identifying these people among the applicants for cosmetic surgery leads to the proper decision about the cosmetic procedure of these patients and their postoperative consequences. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed on 250 women referred to a private Plastic Surgery Clinic in Mashhad, Iran from 2016 to 2017. Applicants were divided into two groups as abdominoplasty and other cosmetic surgeries. BDD was assessed using the modified form of the Bill Brown Questionnaire. Applicants’ information including age, marital status, number of children, education level, and history of cosmetic surgeries were recorded. RESULTS: The mean BDD score in the abdominoplasty group and another group was 93.6 ± 23.5 and 75.5 ± 25.8, respectively. There was a significant difference between the two groups in terms of the BDD score (P-value < 0.001). Although there was a notable relation between BDD score and marital status, no significant association between BDD score, age, and education level was found. CONCLUSION: Considering the exact criteria of BDD, we noticed a significant increase in the frequency of BDD in abdominoplasty applicants. It was erroneous and could be explained by not applying the accurate diagnostic criteria of BDD.