Last year, D-list celebrity and former ‘The Hills’ star Heidi Montag underwent multiple plastic surgeries. These procedures included a brow lift, breast augmentation, Volume Enhancement Treatments, liposuction, rhinoplasty (nose job), chin reduction, and Wrinkle Reduction Treatments. Following the surgeries, there were noticeable changes in her appearance.

 According to Montag herself, she,“…got too caught up in Hollywood, being so into myself and my image. I don’t regret anything, but if I could go back, I wouldn’t do it.” Unfortunately, there are many men and women like Heidi, who get caught up in their own image, whether they are famous or not. And the most common name for this condition is Body Dysmorphic Disorder or BDD.

Obsession or healthy concern?

Concerns regarding body image can sometimes lead to Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), where a person may fixate on perceived flaws in their appearance, significantly impacting their daily life. In such cases, it is important to approach treatment with care, as cosmetic surgery might not address the underlying psychological aspects of BDD. Continual dissatisfaction with appearance, despite cosmetic procedures, can occur in individuals with BDD. Seeking professional mental health support is often a recommended course of action.

But to get an idea of just how many people suffering from BDD seek plastic surgery, a new study recently completed in Belgium sheds light on the frightening statistics. The study conducted interviews with 266 patients of doctors. These patients were coming into the doctors offices to address concerns with their noses. But while among those who had purely functional issues with their nose (difficulty breathing, etc.) only 2% of these patients displayed the symptoms of Body Dysmorphic Disorder, for those seeking rhinoplasty (a nose job), 33%displayed the symptoms of moderate to severe BDD.

Am I suffering from BDD?

Whether you are seeking rhinoplasty, a breast augmentation, liposuction, or just a few Wrinkle Reduction Treatments, it is important that you are doing it for the right reasons. If you are seeking cosmetic surgery to correct a perceived ‘fault’ in your appearance, this can be perfectly natural. However, if this fault is something you are fixated on every day, to the point it interferes with your daily life, often the problem is psychological rather than physical. BDD sufferers, for example, will see a slight asymmetry as a disfigurement, a small bump on the nose as the size of a melon – obvious to all who they come into contact with- and so on.

If this is you, just know that no amount of plastic surgery will solve your perceived imperfection. The place to solve it is in your own mind.