The uglier side of cosmetic surgery is plastic surgery addiction. As numbers opting for plastic surgery increase year on year so do the reports and cases of patients becoming addicted to the surgery they are opting for, leading to disastrous results.
So how does this addiction occur? and is it really as serious a problem as first reported? First and foremost the increase of the popularity of plastic surgery and in turn the increase of its accessibility has opened up the option of cosmetic surgery to a larger amount of people. No longer, is plastic surgery just an option for the rich and famous living the beautiful life. With there now being thousands of ways to get your hands on a cosmetic surgery treatment, through the thousands of surgeons and clinics competing for your business, the cost of surgery is now much more competitive and affordable for Joe public.
Recent studies in America have estimated that over 5 million Americans are reported as suffering with plastic surgery addiction. This addiction is now a known illness and has been given the medical name of body dysmorphic disorder (B.D.D). The causes behind this disorder stems from a patient who is not happy with their initial surgery and has a strong dislike to the results of the treatment that was carried out. Most commonly this disorder happens with people who have healthy bodies and figures that are deemed normal, however, they unfortunately do not recognise this and instead believe themselves to be ugly and not good enough.
Body Dysmorphic Disorder is now listed as a mental disorder that is a result of people having a distorted and disturbed image of their body. Because of this disturbed body image and their feelings that they are not good enough, sufferers of the disorder often turn to plastic surgery to help improve their perceived body problems.
Due to the expensive nature of funding an addiction that requires lots of cosmetic surgery it is usually a disorder that occurs within the wealthy. However, this is not always the case with lots of reported cases of patients falling into heavy debt to fund their habits or resorting to going to less acclaimed clinics offering cheaper deals and discounts for multiple treatments.
Unfortunately, in some cases people suffering with plastic surgery addiction have become celebrities because of their illness, which in turn has just fuelled their addiction and increased their illness. American plastic surgery addict, Cindy Jackson, is one of the most well known cases, being known as the human Barbie doll. Cindy Jackson has had over 17 surgical procedures performed numerous times to her body. The list includes eye lifts, breast augmentations, liposuction, rhinoplasty, and several facelifts. Despite the risks Cindy Jackson maintains that she will continue to have plastic surgery until her ideal look is complete. In the process, Cindy Jackson has appeared in magazines and on television promoting her ideas and actions dealing with plastic surgery.
With plastic surgery on the up and the world of celebrity growing year on year it is a sad future for those suffering with a plastic surgery addiction. With the constant quest and portrayal of the perfect body in today’s press creating unreal impressions of beauty, the accessibility of plastic surgery combined with the increase of surgeons willing to carry out numerous surgeries and at affordable prices, it can only mean one thing - Addiction and abuse of plastic surgery is not going anywhere fast!