Evaluation of Body Dysmorphic Disorder in Hair Loss Patients and Benefit After Hair Transplant.

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is excessive concern about physical appearance leading to mental, social & functional distress. Patients seek cosmetic surgery not psychiatry & may remain dissatisfi ed after surgery. Study includes 100 hair transplant patients. Materials and Methods: From 1st Jan to 31st July 2013. Patient’s Personal Evaluation, Yale Brown Obsessive Scale, Sheehan Lifestyle Disability Scale & Derriford Appearance Scale were used for evaluation. Patients deformities were corrected with hair transplant and these patients were reassessed. Results: 10 months later to judge the benefi t. BDD prevalence in hair loss is 28%, which is higher than rhinoplasty 20.7%. Preoccupation of hair loss on the minds of the patients is much higher than perceived by their doctors. After hair transplant 52% patients considered their baldness has been corrected, 32% patients, had milder perception of their defect but 16% continue to feel that they have less hair than others. Conclusion: Th e study shows that hair loss patients who display BDD like concerns, can have signifi cant benefi t in personal life, social life and work performance after hair transplant. Study also shows that four diff erent psychiatry scales can be used for evaluation and follow up of BDD in hair loss patients.