Women’s perspectives of aesthetic surgery in relation to religious beliefs and associated socioeconomic variables: A questionnaire-based survey among women with and without previous aesthetic surgery

Abstract

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate women's perspectives of aesthetic surgery in relation to religious beliefs and associated socioeconomic variables in a general population of women with and without previous aesthetic surgery. Materials and Methods: A total of 500 volunteer women (mean age, 37 years; range, 18 to 63 years) with (n=250) and without (n=250) previous aesthetic surgery were included in this questionnaire survey. The questionnaire form was applied via face-to-face method and elicited items on sociodemographic characteristics and women's perspective of aesthetic surgery in relation to religious beliefs, provider selection, and partner’s support. Results: Overall, 28.8% strongly agreed/agreed that aesthetic surgery contradicted their religious beliefs. Gender of the surgeon was considered not important in provider selection by 69.2% of women, while 45.6% of women with previous aesthetic surgery reported that their partners were fully supportive during their previous surgery decision. Aesthetic procedures were considered not to contradict religious beliefs by a higher rate of women with versus without previous aesthetic surgery (58.9% vs. 31.4%), women aged <55 year vs. ≥55 year (41.4 to 53.2% vs. 15.8%), women with vs. without higher education (63.0% vs. 26.7 to 39.4%), and women with high vs. moderate or poor socioeconomic level (59.3% vs. 36.4% and 32.2%, respectively). Overall, 15.8% of women with previous aesthetic surgery reported they agreed/strongly agreed that aesthetic procedures contradicted religious beliefs. Conclusion: Our study findings indicate that aesthetic surgery is considered by one-third of women to contradict their religious beliefs, being more likely in case of no previous aesthetic surgery, older age, illiteracy, and poor socioeconomic status