The lived experience of people who have undergone plastic surgery

Abstract

The need to alter or enhance one’s image in a permanent way depicts a dissatisfaction with one’s body. Plastic surgery enables the person to opt for such alteration or enhancement. This study aims to understand the experience of people that have opted for plastic surgery by taking a qualitative approach. The sample consisted of 5 participants (2 men, 2 women and 1 transgender individual), all over the age of 18 and who have undergone plastic surgery at least once in their lives. Normative dissatisfaction was experienced in all of the participants. This contributed to the understanding that for one to undergo plastic surgery, it does not necessarily mean that they have to be diagnosed with a disorder of body image.