What should a doctor do if a patient with a psychiatric condition asks for an unnecessary procedure which will probably do no good and could even leave them worse off? If you are a cosmetic surgeon, you will probably do it anyway, according to a study by researchers at Rhode Island Hospital and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

They found that many people who suffer from body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) come back repeatedly for cosmetic procedures.  But only 2% of them actually reduced the severity of BDD. Despite this poor long-term outcome, physicians continue to comply with the wishes of people suffering from BDD. The most common surgical procedures are rhinoplasty and breast augmentation.

BDD sufferers are obsessed with imaginary or slight defects in their appearance. Instead of seeking psychiatric help, they demand cosmetic surgery. And the surgeons willingly provide it. “In a survey of 265 cosmetic surgeons, only 30% believed that BDD was always a contraindication to surgery," says Dr Katharine A. Phillips, a co-author of the paper. ~ Annals of Plastic Surgery, Aug 11