Analysis of the underlying contexts of cosmetic surgery in women: a qualitative study based on psychoanalytic theory

The demand for Iranian society for cosmetic surgery is increasing. Many studies show that cosmetic surgery has many psychological dimensions. This study aims to investigate the roots of this behavior in Iranian society.

21 young women under 40 years of age were interviewed in a semi-structured interview and the data obtained from the interviews, after being written, were analyzed by the Van-Manen phenomenological method. 464 segments were coded.

The result of coding was 26 categories, 7 core codes, and 4 selective codes. Selective codes were extracted according to psychoanalytic theory. Finally, a model based on selective codes is presented to explain the behavior of requesting cosmetic surgery.

The negative body image is seen in all interviewees, which is accompanied by the expression of self-compassion, meaning "self-compassion based on appearance." The sensitivity of the individual to the judgment of society was the most common among the categories and the projection of his view of society is a defense mechanism that shows the most frequency in the sample. The model presented in this study states that when negative self-image is placed next to sensitivity to community judgment, compassion appears to be conditional, and the demand for cosmetic surgery increases. This model has been discussed in detail.