Boob Jobs and Increased Suicide Risk
I was disturbed to read about a recent article that suggests an unexpected link between women who received cosmetic breast implants and an increased suicide rate. This article looked at 6 clinical studies and found that women who got boob jobs had twice the suicide rate compared with the suicide rate of the general population. The article goes to conclude that more study is warranted specifically looking at this issue, and that cosmetic surgeons who suspect that their prospect breast augmentation patient may be suffering from a mental illness are encouraged to refer their patients for a full mental health consultation before surgery. (abstract follows)
Am J Psychiatry 164:1006-1013, July 2007
© 2007 American Psychiatric AssociationCosmetic Breast Augmentation and Suicide
David B. Sarwer, Ph.D., Gregory K. Brown, Ph.D. and Dwight L. Evans, M.D.OBJECTIVE: This article discusses the unexpected relationship between cosmetic breast implants and suicide that has been found in six epidemiological investigations completed in the last several years. METHOD: The epidemiological studies are reviewed. RESULTS: Across the six studies, the suicide rate of women who received cosmetic breast implants is approximately twice the expected rate based on estimates of the general population. Although the first study of this issue suggested that the rate of suicide among women with breast implants was greater than that of women who underwent other forms of cosmetic surgery, the largest and most recent investigation in this area found no difference in the rate of suicide between these two groups of women. CONCLUSIONS: The higher-than-expected suicide rate among women with cosmetic breast implants warrants further research. In the absence of additional information on the relationship, women interested in breast augmentation who present with a history of psychopathology or those who are suspected by the plastic surgeon of having some form of psychopathology should undergo a mental health consultation before surgery.
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