May/June 2014
ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTION
Table I. Reasons for Not Having Any Cosmetic Procedure (N=297)
Table III. Elective Cosmetic Procedures Performed (N=212)
Reason
No. (%)
Procedure
No. (%)
Satisfied with appearance/not in need
200 (67.3)
Laser/IPL hair removal
114 (53.8)
Fear of complications
117 (39.4)
Tattoo removal
9 (0.9)
Religious reasons
69 (23.2)
Chemical peels
58 (27.4)
Financial reasons
49 (16.5)
Botox
46 (21.7)
Refusal of guardian
35 (11.8)
Electrolysis
38 (17.9)
Rejection of society
13 (4.4)
Rhinoplasty
26 (12.3)
Psychological reasons
9 (3.0)
Fillers
23 (10.8)
Liposuction
21 (9.9)
Breast augmentation
19 (9)
Tummy tuck
19 (9)
No. (%)
Dermabrasion
13 (6.1)
Financial
113 (67.26)
Sclerotherapy
9 (4.2)
Too busy
114 (67.85)
Face lift
4 (1.9)
Religious
76 (45.23)
Mesotherapy
3 (1.4)
Objection by guardian/relatives
90 (53.57)
Fear of complications
49 (29.16)
Table II. Reasons for Patients Wanting But Not Having a Procedure (N=168) Reason
Table IV. Motives for Seeking an Elective Cosmetic Procedure (N=380)
The reasons for patients not having any cosmetic procedure are summarized in Table I and those wanting but not having a procedure are summarized in Table II. The elective cosmetic procedures that were performed are summarized in Table III. The majority (89.1%) of the women had 1 to 3 cosmetic procedures porformed and 77.8% of those who had undergone a procedure were veiled. The age at which the first cosmetic procedure was performed was between 20 and 30 years in 53.4%, 31 and 40 years in 26.4%, 41 and 50 years in 18.3%, 51 and 60 years in 1.4%, and older than 61 years in 0.5% of patients. The motives for seeking an elective cosmetic procedure are shown in Table IV. The decision to seek a procedure was influenced by the media in 48.3% of patients, mainly by television (81.8%). Other influencing sources were magazines (46.5%), Internet (38.9%), radio (6.3%), and promotional meetings (3.8 %). Of patients who answered the questionnaire, 67.3% had at least one friend who had a cosmetic procedure performed. The procedure was performed in secrecy in 30.9% of the women because of either religious (3.1%) or cultural (96.9 %) reasons. Close family members were among those informed of their proSKINmed. 2014;12:150–153
Motive
No. (%)
Improve self-esteem
318 (83.7)
Dissatisfaction with appearance
198 (52.2)
To attract a husband (single, divorced, widow)
240 (63.3)
Prevent husband from seeking another wife
138 (36.2)
Prevent husband from divorcing wife
4 (1.0)
Improve interpersonal relationships
70 (18.3)
Improve quality of life
24 (6.3)
cedure: sister (96%), mother (84%), husband (83%), friend (63%), father (39%), daughter (34%), and fiancĂŠ (9%). A preference for a female doctor/provider was demonstrated in 47% of the women and a male doctor in 23.5%; 29.5% of patients were indifferent to the sex of the doctor/provider. The reasons for a sex preference were religious in 28.5% and cultural in 16.2% and the belief that the selected provider was better trained in 55.4%. Other characteristics looked for in a provider included older and more experienced in 92.7% and Westerntrained in 40%, with a preference to have the procedure performed within the United Kingdom in 58.7%. The characteristics of women seeking the most procedures were those who were married (61.6%) and with a higher education
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Motives for Cosmetic Procedures in Saudi Women