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Self-esteem before face-lift may determine quality of life after surgery

Patient self-esteem before face-lift surgery may affect quality of life after surgery, according to recently published study results.

Researchers conducted a prospective study of 59 patients undergoing rhytidectomy in a private practice from July 1 to Oct. 31, 2013. Preoperative baseline scores and scores at 6-month postoperative follow-up were measured by the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES).

Analysis took place from July 1 to Dec. 1, 2014 and included change in patients’ self-esteem and patients’ evaluation of surgical outcome.

A 6-month postoperative questionnaire was completed by 50 patients (mean age, 58 years; 48 women). There was a nonsignificant increase of 0.3 in mean difference between baseline and 6-month self-esteem using paired t tests. When patients were subdivided by self-esteem, the cohort with low self-esteem showed a significant improvement in self-esteem after surgery with a mean difference in RSES score of 3.7 (P = .01). Patients with high self-esteem had a decrease in RSES score of -3.1 (P = .03), while the patients with average self-esteem. There was an increase of 0.5 in the RSES score for patients with average self-esteem, which was not statistically significant.

“In our study, self-esteem measurements did not correlate directly with the positive effect of the surgical outcome because patients showed no mean change in self-esteem but believed that they appeared to be a mean of 8.9 years younger after their face-lift surgery,” the researchers concluded. “This finding underscores the complex nature of the human psyche as it relates to aesthetic surgery and demonstrates that patients exhibit a wide spectrum of psychological reactions after face-lift surgery.”  – by Bruce Thiel

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.