Patients who have complications after dermatologic cosmetic procedures are prone to high rates of a host of mental health issues, ranging from anxiety disorder and depression to body dysmorphic disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder, according to a survey-based study of patients with dermatology-related complications. We can observe these days what a mental and emotional burden put on some patients. They were routinely in the office in tears saying it was interfering with their daily life, it was interfering with their job, saying they were going to lose their job, all because they were so distressed over what was happening to them. This can happen more and more often, since the popularity of plastic surgery is unbroken and increasingly available to everyone these days.
Cosmetic procedures have increased over the past decade, with procedures being increasingly performed by an evolving variety of providers. Appropriate patient assessment and counseling and proper procedure technique are important for obtaining safe and effective results. For a minimal dermatological intervention, the psychological negative consequences are minor. However, a separate study examined the impact on patients’ mental health resulting from the failure of other cosmetic procedures or disappointment with the outcomes. The treatments the patients in the survey had were microneedling with radiofrequency, laser, ultrasound for skin tightening, radiofrequency for skin tightening, microneedling, body contouring/sculpting, and “other”.
The study found that the largest share of procedures, 47%, were done by an esthetician/laser technician, followed by a non-dermatologist physician (17%), a board-certified dermatologist (14%), an advanced practice provider (12%), and “other” (10%). Self-reported complications included scarring (38%), hyperpigmentation (26%), erythema (24%), burn (23%), blisters (11%), and hypopigmentation (3%); 71% characterized their complications as “other,” and one respondent reported multiple complications.
The study highlighted the critical importance of ensuring that the practitioner leading the treatment possesses not only thorough knowledge but also a clear understanding of the level of risk associated with potential complications and communicates this to the patient as well. The study’s lead author, Taryn Murray, MD, a dermatologist at Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, suggested screening patients for potentially undiagnosed mental health disorders. She noted that “there’s a bit of movement” toward developing guidelines for laser treatments, which would address the risk of complications. “That’s the goal: To have better guidelines to avoid these complications in the first place”.
