Factors That Affect the Likelihood of Undergoing Cosmetic Procedures Among the General Population of Western Region, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Eyad E Sindi; Raghad Y Shosho; Maria A AlSulami; Abrar A Alghamdi; Manal D Alnemari; Waref H Felemban; Fahad Aljindan; Mohammed Alharbi; Lamees Altamimi; Rehab S Almajnuni

doi:10.7759/cureus.49792

Factors That Affect the Likelihood of Undergoing Cosmetic Procedures Among the General Population of Western Region, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Cureus. 2023 Dec 1;15(12):e49792. doi: 10.7759/cureus.49792. eCollection 2023 Dec.

Affiliations

¹ Department of Medicine and Surgery, College of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, SAU.
² Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, King Abdullah Medical City, Makkah, SAU.
³ Aesthetic Plastic Hand, Burn, and Reconstructive Surgery, ‏King Abdullah Medical City, Makkah, SAU.
⁴ Plastic Surgery, King Saud University, Riyadh, SAU.
⁵ Family Medicine, Al-shara'e2 Primary Health Care, Makkah Healthcare Cluster, Makkah, SAU.

Abstract

Background and aim: Cosmetic procedures are surgical and non-surgical procedures that improve and reshape body or facial structures to improve someone's appearance, self-esteem, and confidence. In recent years, these procedures have gained more popularity, and both the number of procedures performed and the cosmetic procedure market are growing dramatically worldwide. The objective of our research is to carry out a cross-sectional investigation to assess the factors that affect the likelihood of undergoing cosmetic surgery in the Western Region of Saudi Arabia.

Methods: In this study, a descriptive, cross-sectional methodology was employed. The intended sample includes residents of Makkah, Medina, Jeddah, and Al-taif cities who are 18 years of age or older, representing the general population. Data collection was carried out through an online questionnaire created using Google Forms, which was disseminated electronically via social media platforms. The questionnaire gathered demographic information and questions that evaluate the time spent on social media, likelihood of having cosmetic surgery, cosmetic surgery experience, social media exposure, personal experience, and self-rating of attractiveness.

Results: The study included a total of 507 participants, with 389 (76.7%) being female and 118 (23.3%) being male. In our sample, there was a significant correlation between the likelihood of undergoing cosmetic surgery in women who have a longer exposure to media and lower self-rating of attractiveness. For men, media exposure and previous cosmetic procedures were significantly affecting their likelihood of undergoing cosmetic procedures.

Conclusions: Females who had a lower self-rating of attractiveness and a longer exposure to social media were more likely to undergo a cosmetic procedure. However, to gain a more comprehensive understanding, further research should be conducted.

Keywords: aesthetic facial surgery; cosmetic surgery; general public; kingdom of saudi arabia (ksa); plastic surgery.