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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffSigns and symptoms of body dysmorphic disorder include:
- Preoccupation with your physical appearance
- Strong belief that you have an abnormality or defect in your appearance that makes you ugly
- Frequent examination of yourself in the mirror or, conversely, avoidance of mirrors altogether
- Belief that others take special notice of your appearance in a negative way
- The need to seek reassurance about your appearance from others
- Frequent cosmetic procedures with little satisfaction
- Excessive grooming, such as hair plucking
- Extreme self-consciousness
- Refusal to appear in pictures
- Skin picking
- Comparison of your appearance with that of others
- Avoidance of social situations
- The need to wear excessive makeup or clothing to camouflage perceived flaws
You may obsess over any part of your body, but common features people may obsess about include:
- Nose
- Hair
- Skin
- Complexion
- Wrinkles
- Acne and blemishes
- Baldness
- Breast size
- Muscle size
- Genitalia
The body feature you focus on may change over time. You may be so convinced about your perceived flaws that you become delusional, imagining something about your body that's not true, no matter how much someone tries to convince you otherwise.
When to see a doctor
Shame and embarrassment about your appearance may keep you from seeking treatment for body dysmorphic disorder. But if you have any signs or symptoms of body dysmorphic disorder, see your doctor, mental health provider or other health professional. Body dysmorphic disorder usually doesn't get better on its own, and if untreated, it may get worse over time and lead to suicidal thoughts and behavior.
- Body dysmorphic disorder. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec15/ch204/ch204b.html#sec15-ch204-ch204b-767. Accessed Sept. 1, 2010.
- Ford CV. Somatoform disorders. In: Ebert MH, et al. Current Diagnosis & Treatment: Psychiatry, 2nd ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw Hill; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=3287234. Accessed Sept. 1, 2010.
- Body dysmorphic disorder. In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV-TR. 4th ed. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Association: 2000. http://www.psychiatryonline.com. Accessed Sept. 1, 2010.
- Fiora P, et al. Body dysmorphic disorder: A complex and polymorphic affection. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment. 2009;5:477.
- Hunt TJ, et al. The mirror lies: Body dysmorphic disorder. American Family Physician. 2008;78:217.
- Conrado LA, et al. Body dysmorphic disorder among dermatologic patients: Prevalence and clinical features. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2010;63:235.
- Phillips KA, et al. Body dysmorphic disorder: Treating an underrecognized disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry. 2008;9:165.
- Ipser JC, et al. Pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy for body dysmorphic disorder (Review). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2009;(1): CD005332.
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