TV shows influence plastic surgery patients

A small study conducted by researchers at Yale University suggests that plastic surgery reality shows influence patients' decisions on going under the knife. Shows like Extreme Makeover, Dr. 90210 are taken into consideration when doing the study.

The researchers polled 42 first-time patients who sought a consultation at Yale's plastic surgery clinic about how frequent they watched such shows which have become quite famous since it first aired on TV. This is done in order to determine whether shows like these really affect decision-making done by patients concerning plastic surgery procedures.

John Persing, plastic surgeon and part of the team who did the study, found that 57 percent of patients who average age was 36, watch one or more plastic surgery reality shows on a regular basis. Only 12 percent of those polled said they had never seen one.

Patients who watch plastic surgery shows regularly cited that those TV shows serve as a significant factor in their decision to consult a surgeon. They were also found to be more knowledgeable about cosmetic surgery procedures than those who rarely or never watched the programs. The only thing these frequent viewers are not aware of is the cost of the procedure. TV shows don't normally mention the cost, so it is but natural for frequent viewers to be unaware of this.

The study's subjects were nearly all female. Hispanics, who accounted for roughly a third of those surveyed said that they were frequent viewers. The same goes for 70 percent of African-Americans, who accounted for a quarter of the sample. Only 36 percent of whites, who made up 33 percent of the group said they often watch the shows.

The study appeared in the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery journal. Though the study suggests that plastic surgery TV shows has influence over decisions made by patients who often watch them, still it did not establish causality – that watching reality shows frequently made one more likely to undergo surgery.