Plastic surgery offers people the chance to improve features they do not like, look younger or add to a feature they like about themselves. However, when plastic surgery becomes an addiction, it can be very damaging to the person who is addicted. Many times people who have this problem are unable to stop themselves from getting more plastic surgery than is necessary, so it is up to family members and doctors to watch for the signs.
Examples of Plastic Surgery Addiction
There are both well-known and lesser-known examples of plastic surgery addiction among celebrities and socialites today. One notable example that most people know about (and consider an addicted person) is Michael Jackson. Another notable example is Cindy Jackson. Cindy Jackson is also known as the human Barbie doll. She has had over 47 plastic surgery procedures and has significantly altered her appearance over the years to look more like Barbie.
One of the most infamous individuals who seems addicted to plastic surgery is the socialite Jocelyn Wildenstein. She is famous for getting repeated surgeries to look like a large cat. She has even noted that recent surgeries to expand her cheekbone area have caused limitations to her peripheral vision.
What Causes Plastic Surgery Addiction?
The underlying disease which doctors think is the cause of most plastic surgery addictions is called Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). BDD is a psychological disorder which causes individuals afflicted by it to consider themselves, or part of their bodies, to be ugly or deformed. This disease is considered to be closely related to excessive compulsive disorder and anorexia.
Sadly, regardless of how many plastic surgeries a person afflicted with this disorder receives, they do not see their body image as improving. As this is a psychological disorder, it cannot be treated through cosmetic surgery and must be treated with help from a psychologist.
What to Look For
There are several things that family members and doctors can look for when trying to identify a person that has an addiction to plastic surgery, or the underlying disorder of BDD. First of all, a person with these types of afflictions will have a very negative opinion of how they look and low self-esteem. This negative opinion does not seem to improve even with reassurances from those around them. This obsession is also long-lasting.
Another sign of these disorders is the vast number of surgeries the person wants to get or has received in the past. He or she may also have very unrealistic views of what plastic surgery can do and may be very disappointed in the results after the plastic surgery has been completed.
A person who is afflicted with BDD may also have a difficult time leaving his or her home or feeling comfortable in social gatherings. The person will likely have an obsession that people are looking at the physical trait or traits person is paranoid about.
Individuals afflicted with this disorder cannot be helped through plastic surgery. These people see plastic surgery photos as the exact results of the surgery, while in reality the cosmetic plastic surgery will affect people differently. A licensed psychologist can usually help a person with either of these disorders.
