Cosmetic addiction - VnExpress Health

Hanoi – Feeling insecure about his appearance, 35-year-old Ha Nhuan Nam has undergone approximately 20 cosmetic surgeries, including 13 nose surgeries.

"I grew up with a skinny body and dark, tanned skin, and I was very self-conscious," Nam said, adding that he had cherished the dream of "rebuilding" his face for many years.

Thirteen years ago, after graduating, he applied to many companies but was rejected every time, due to his unsuitable appearance. Feeling discouraged, Nam frequently went online, "researching celebrities, admiring anyone beautiful and wanting to gather their beauty to improve himself."

In 2013, Nam borrowed 40 million VND to fix his crooked, discolored teeth with porcelain veneers. Since then, he has undergone various surgeries including rhinoplasty, eyelid surgery, lower eye bag removal, heart-shaped lips, chin augmentation, and eyebrow shaping. The forehead shortening surgery was the most traumatic. Before that, he was self-conscious about his high, protruding forehead and always had to wear a hat or scarf to cover it. He spent two years convincing doctors to perform the surgery, researching the risks, and accepting a reduced lifespan to achieve his desired appearance.

"The doctor cut along the hairline on my forehead from one side to the other, then took skin from the top of my head, pulling it from my forehead backwards," Nam recalled. When the anesthetic wore off, the excruciating pain came in waves. He lost sensation in his head, feared nerve paralysis, limited his time outdoors, and wasn't allowed to wash his hair for a month to avoid infection.

Nam has had the most procedures done on his nose, about 13 times. Once, he suffered a hemorrhage and had to breathe through his mouth for a week because his nostrils were swollen and completely blocked, like a "dead fish out of water." He had filler injected into his chin to create a V-line shape. A few months later, the filler dissolved, and he had cartilage implants. After the implants, Nam was criticized for having a "nose as long as a witch's," so he had surgery to remove the implants.

Nhuận Nam before and after cosmetic surgery. Photo: Provided by the subject.

Dissatisfied with her appearance, 29-year-old Thu Ngoc repeatedly sought out cosmetic surgeons. She is 1.65 meters tall and overweight in her stomach, upper arms, and thighs. Since puberty, she hasn't dared wear short clothes, and she weighs herself daily, measures her waist circumference, and observes every small change in her body.

She went to the hospital for liposuction, but the doctor insisted her body was well-proportioned and "didn't have enough fat to remove." Ngoc then spent 200 million VND on filler injections to slim her face, create heart-shaped lips, and get breast augmentation. Even so, she wasn't satisfied, saying, "I have to be beautiful until my last breath."

Nam and Ngoc are two of many cases of "cosmetic surgery addiction" stemming from an obsession with beauty or a traumatic experience in the past. Many other cases involve people who enjoy cosmetic procedures out of passion and financial means.

While there are no statistics on the number of people who have undergone multiple cosmetic procedures in Vietnam, the world has recorded many cases of people "addicted to cosmetic surgery." For example, the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, underwent approximately 100 surgeries over 30 years, including skin bleaching, lip fillers, cheekbone augmentation, and Botox injections. In 2002, he had to wear a bandage over his nose while singing to prevent mucus from dripping into his mouth. Similarly, Herbert Chavez from the Philippines spent thousands of pounds transforming himself into Superman. Over 18 years and 23 cosmetic procedures, he had his nose reshaped, lips injected, teeth whitened, chin augmented, and jaw reshaped, and wore blue contact lenses to conceal his natural brown eyes.

Speaking about the trend of cosmetic surgery addiction, Dr. Hoang Manh Ninh, Head of the Department of Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery at the Post Office Hospital, said that human appearance always has flaws due to many reasons such as accidents, congenital conditions, and aging, so people want to intervene to look more attractive. In addition, beauty standards change over time. Previously, Vietnamese people believed in beauty as "virtue, appearance, speech, and conduct" or "good character outweighs beauty." Older women preferred a benevolent face, a full figure, fair skin, and long hair, while younger women preferred a tall, slender figure and a slim face. Therefore, cosmetic surgery is a natural and legitimate need.

"However, cases of cosmetic surgery addiction can stem from psychological disorders or body image issues, leading people to constantly seek out flaws to correct," the doctor said. Even after undergoing numerous surgical procedures, they still feel dissatisfied. Furthermore, not everyone who undergoes surgery achieves their desired appearance. This group is more common among those with financial means, middle-aged individuals, and is more prevalent among women than men.

Like the 58-year-old woman who had previously undergone breast augmentation, rhinoplasty, jawline contouring, and filler injections but still wanted more cosmetic surgery. She went to the Post Office Hospital to express her dissatisfaction with her body and requested a complete overhaul. However, the doctor refused to treat her, citing her age and the ineffectiveness of surgery.

"Any surgical intervention carries a risk of complications such as infection, necrosis, bleeding, hematoma, and fluid leakage," the doctor said, adding that excessive cosmetic procedures can also affect overall health due to the side effects of the medication.

Doctor Ninh is treating a post-cosmetic surgery complication case at the Post Office Hospital. Photo: Provided by the doctor.

Sharing the same viewpoint, psychologist Nguyen Thi Tam from the Hon Viet Center for Training and Application of Psychological Science believes that embarking on the path of cosmetic procedures requires long-term commitment for "maintenance." For example, after 10 years of rhinoplasty, a nose lift is necessary to make it higher and more slender. Similarly, chin reduction and filler injections also require monitoring to prevent sagging and clumping. Furthermore, the human body always has imperfections, and the desire to improve them is inevitable.

"Repeatedly using cosmetic surgery in a short period of time is harmful in every aspect, from health to mental well-being and finances," Ms. Tam said.

According to Dr. Le Thi Thuy Hang from the Central Psychiatric Hospital No. 1, the common characteristic of this group of cosmetic surgery addicts is constant dissatisfaction with their appearance and a desire to modify everything on their bodies. The main causes stem from psychological factors such as bullying, teasing, or excessive self-doubt from the past. When overly obsessed, they can fall into secondary depression, leading to feelings of sadness, anxiety, fatigue, and stress. They are very strict with themselves, easily stressed by others' judgments, and frequently compare themselves to others. They are particularly prone to excessive anxiety about physical flaws, leading to pessimism. This group often doesn't think or know they have a mental illness; they "just want to beautify themselves to relieve stress and satisfy themselves."

In these cases, psychological treatment is the most effective approach. However, patients or their families need to recognize the signs early so that they can seek timely professional intervention.

Furthermore, doctors advise people to choose reputable facilities and thoroughly research the methods, materials used, and potential risks involved. For example, cosmetic surgery clinics are only permitted to perform minor procedures. Major surgeries such as breast augmentation, liposuction, and buttock augmentation must be performed in hospitals. Don't be tempted by cheap cosmetic surgery and risk your life by choosing unreliable facilities or unqualified doctors.

Thuy An

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