(Image source: CBS)

BY LEXA DECKERT

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Do people who get nose jobs have a mental illness? MSN reports on a new study which says, the nose knows..

“A new study suggests that about one-third of people who want rhinoplasty, also known as a nose job, also have symptoms of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) -- a mental condition in which excessive concern about imagined or minor defects in appearance interferes with daily life”

The disorder is often called “imaginary ugliness” -- LiveScience explains why...


“The severity of BDD symptoms was unrelated to the actual appearance of the nose, according to an objective evaluation of each patient's nasal shape. Many patients who were highly concerned about their appearance had only minor defects or none...”


To gather information a study was done by researchers from the University Hospitals Leuven in Belgium -- The International Business Times details how they collected information.


“The study included... patients who were evaluated by plastic surgeons in Belgium over 16 months.  The patients were given a questionnaire to assess symptoms of body dysmorphic disorder... Patients with the mental health condition are typically only able to focus on body imperfections...”
 
Inventor Spot notes, most nose jobs aren’t actually necessary.


“Of those patients seeking nose jobs for purely cosmetic reasons, 43 percent were identified with moderate or severe BDD. Just 2 percent of those seeking rhinoplasty for a medical condition, such as a deviated septum, were classified with BDD... about 53 of the surveyed patients were seeking a second nose job.”
 

Researchers hope the findings improve the odds of people with BDD being identified. Boston.com points out why that’s important...


“While plastic surgeons are supposed to screen for mental disorders before allowing patients to go under the knife, many still pick up the scalpel rather than write a referral for a psychiatrist. … Plastic surgery might help fix the physical flaws, but it doesn’t help the underlying mental conditions that cause some people to fixate on them.”
 
Some good news -- BDD can be treated. CBS has details...

“Antidepressants and a form of psychotherapy known as cognitive-behavioral therapy are often effective against BDD.”
 

The full study can be found in the August edition of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery -- the medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

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