Plastic Surgery TV May Sway Patients
People Considering Cosmetic Surgery May Be Influenced by Plastic Surgery Reality TV Shows
Plastic surgery reality TV shows may affect people who are
considering getting cosmetic surgery for the first time, according to a new
study.
The study appears in July's edition of the journal Plastic and
Reconstructive Surgery.
The researchers included John Persing, MD, of the plastic surgery section of
Yale University's medical school.
They gave surveys to 42 people who were considering getting plastic surgery
for the first time at Yale University's plastic surgery clinic. Most of the
patients were women; on average, they were in their mid-30s.
In the surveys, participants noted how often they watched plastic surgery
reality TV shows including Extreme Makeover,TheSwan,
I Want a Famous Face, Plastic Surgery: Before and After, Dr.
90210, and Miami Slice.
More than half of the patients -- 57% -- reported frequently watching those
shows. Only 12% said they had never seen plastic surgery reality TV shows.
"Overall, four out of five patients reported that
televisionB influenced them to pursue a cosmetic procedure, with nearly
one-third feeling 'very much' or 'moderately' influenced," write the
researchers.
Patients who frequently watched plastic surgery reality TV shows gave
themselves higher ratings for knowledge about plastic surgery than people who
rarely watched those TV shows. The only area that they didn't claim to know
much about was the cost of plastic surgery.
Were frequent viewers of plastic surgery reality TV shows actually more
knowledgeable about plastic surgery, or did they just think they were? That's
not clear. They weren't quizzed on facts about plastic surgery.
Frequent viewers of plastic surgery reality TV shows also tended to think
those TV shows were "somewhat similar" to real life, while other people
rated those shows as "not very similar" to real life.
It's not clear if the findings reflect the views of other potential patients
for first-time cosmetic surgery.