Minimally Invasive Injectable Cosmetic Procedures Increase Feelings of Authenticity.

Background: Minimally invasive cosmetic dermatology procedures continue to be increasingly popular; however, the extant literature has poorly documented the psychological antecedents of interest in cosmetic procedures and their psychological consequences.

Objective: To better inform dermatologists on their patients' motivations for cosmetic enhancement.

Materials and methods: In a general population survey, an online representative sample of 984 Americans reported the extent to which they feel authentic using the validated authenticity scale and whether they were interested in undergoing a cosmetic procedure. In a prospective dermatology office survey, 102 participants reported their feelings of authenticity immediately before and 2 weeks after receiving a minimally invasive injectable cosmetic procedure.

Results: In the general population survey, participants interested in cosmetic procedures felt significantly less authentic than participants who were not interested ( p = .003). In the prospective dermatology office survey, participants felt significantly more authentic 2 weeks after their minimally invasive injectable cosmetic procedure than before ( p = .018).

Conclusion: Lower feelings of authenticity are associated with interest in cosmetic procedures. Participants felt more authentic 2 weeks after receiving a minimally invasive injectable cosmetic procedure. Cosmetic procedures may present patients with an opportunity to feel more like their real, genuine selves.