Our Scientific approach

Our commitment

We are committed to a scientific approach. In summary:

The Plast-IQ™ Psychological Pre-screening tool is based on best available scientific evidence and recommendations (see some examples here below).

And forward-looking, we are committed to

base all our continuous improvements of our products and solutions on best available science
contribute to science as part of our management of the Plast-IQ™ Psychological Pre-screening tool and any other products and solutions we will develop and offer

As part of this, we plan to produce and publish scientific material based on the anonymised data we gather. We do this to improve and consolidate the Plast-IQ™ Psychological Pre-screening tool itself – and to contribute to the general knowledge about the interface between cosmetic interventions and psychology/psychiatry.

The Plast-IQ™ Psychological Pre-screening tool

This Pre-screening tool was developed by a multidisciplinary team including experienced doctors, scientists and other specialists – based on best available scientific evidence and recommendations from experts and scientists.

We are scientifically evaluating the tool on an ongoing basis, and we will implement improvements where necessary and appropriate. We aim to publish our findings in peer-reviewed journals and communicate our results as widely as possible.

We are committed to continuous improvement and to always maintain a scientific approach.

Although the data from use of this Pre-screening tool is anonymised (i.e., not possible to link to any individual person), its use will provide important information to increase the understanding of the interphase between mental health and cosmetic surgery/treatment. We are committed to process and find ways to make this information available for the benefit of everyone involved in cosmetic surgery – i.e., private individuals as well as professionals.

Existing science

Here some examples of the existing science*, that have served as part of the foundation and motivation for development of the Plast-IQ™ Psychological Pre-screening tool:

Overall psychological characteristics of cosmetic patients
1. 50% of all people seeking cosmetic surgery have a diagnosable mental disorder versus background population where 4-16% have a mental disorder (Malick et al. 2008 and Golshani et al., 2016)
2. 55% of all the people that have had cosmetic surgery done suffer from depression or anxiety after they have had the cosmetic surgery done. Versus background population where 4-16% have a mental disorder. Various degrees, severity and durations of such depression or anxiety (Gruber et all., 2009)
3. People seeking plastic surgery are more likely to be emotionally unstable and have poor interpersonal relationships (Milothridis et al., 2016)
Examples of psychological conditions causing problems for cosmetic patients
1. Depression is 5-6 times more common in people seeking cosmetic surgery than in the background population (Gruber et al. , 2009)
2. BDD, Body-Dysmorphic-Disorder:
  - People suffering from BDD are more likely to feel dissatisfied and complain about result of surgery (Mulkens et al., 2012, and Wang et al., 2016)
  - BBD patients can constitute legal and physical threat for cosmetic surgeons/specialists (Sweis et al., 2017)
  - 84% of plastic surgeons reported that they had unknowingly operated on patients with BDD. (Higgins et al., 2017)
  - Magnitude of the issue: Up to 19,2 % of people requesting cosmetic surgery suffer from BDD (Salari et al., 2022)

Suicide risk for cosmetic patients
1. Women that have had breast augmentation are subsequently at 200-300% increased risk of suicide (Sarwer et al, 2007)
2. Four out of five suffering from BDD (Body-Dysmorphic-Disorder) will have suicidal thoughts, and one in four suffering from BDD will attempt suicide (Phillips et al., 2007)
Mentally well patients recover better from surgical procedures than others
1. Ghoneim et al., 2016
2. von Soest T et al., 2009
Need for effective, useful and standardised psychological pre-screening
1. List of some of the scientists who conclude that this is needed:
  - Salari et al., 2022
  - von Soest T et al., 2012
  - Higgins et al., 2017
2. Existing pre-screens neither effective nor useful (Wildgoose et al., 2013)
Dissatisfaction among cosmetic patients
1. More psychological problems pre-intervention lead to lower satisfaction post-intervention (von Soest T et al., 2009)
2. Cosmetic patients who suffer from BDD, Body-Dysmorphic-Disorder: Only 1% of patients with BBD are satisfied following cosmetic surgery, and 82% of cosmetic surgeons believed that BBD patients had a poor outcome following cosmetic surgery (David B. Sarwer, 2002)

* The above text represents our own interpretations – based on the references cited here above.