Attitude of female medical students towards cosmetic surgery and its relation with body image

The rate of cosmetic surgery among young people is increasing and more attention to reasons of its high prevalence is essential. This study aimed to determine the attitude toward cosmetic surgery and its relationship with body image among female college students in 2012. This study was a descriptive-analytical type. Two hundred twenty female college students، who were residents in the dormitories of Tehran University of Medical Sciences، were selected by multi-stage sampling method and filled out demographic، attitude toward cosmetic surgery and body image questionnaires. The data collected were analyzed by SPSS software and the Pearson correlation and One-Way ANOVA tests. The results showed that seventy percent of students were willing to change the appearance of different parts of their bodies. Sixty percent would compare themselves with the mannequins and models. Also seventy three percent of the subjects felt that other people are more attractive appearance and seventy seven percent tried to buy cosmetics for improving their appearance. The results showed that there is significant relationship between attitudes toward cosmetic surgery and body image of participants (p<0. 0001). Designing educational interventions with the aim of changing the positive attitude toward cosmetic surgery and decreasing the negative body image of college female students is essential.