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Cited by 14Body Image and Dysmorphia StudiesFacial Rejuvenation and Surgery TechniquesTattoo and Body Piercing Complications

Conflicting Cultural and Religious Views on Cosmesis: The Modern Women’s Dilemma

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Khattab, Nada Raafat, Abdelraouf, Noha, Ashour, Tarek·2022·Aesthetic Plastic Surgery
DOI 10.1007/s00266-022-02834-6PMC PMC9512875
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Abstract

Background: Women from countries with conflicting views on cosmesis may avoid these procedures for the fear of being rejected by the community. Understanding the motives that drive patients from these countries to seek cosmetic procedures helps discern possible causes of postoperative dissatisfaction, which can be prevented by careful selection of patients and individualizing their management protocols. Objectives: This study helps identify the factors that affect Egyptian Muslim women’s attitude toward cosmetic procedures. The main factors tested were female gender role stress (FGRS), body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), and religious attitude. The secondary factors investigated were health evaluation, life satisfaction, self-satisfaction, social media use, TV exposure, spouse/friends/family influence, and internalization of beauty standards. Methods: Women willing to undergo cosmetic procedures were compared with those who were not. A survey exploring demographics and the different motives were posted for the public online. Results: Among 502 participants, 288 were willing to undergo cosmetic procedures and 214 were not. Our findings showed a statistically significant difference for the degree of BDD, FGRS, and religiousness between willing and unwilling groups. Moreover, greater pressure from partner to change appearance, influence of friends and family on opinion regarding beauty of oneself, internalization of beauty standards, and lower ratings of life and self-satisfaction showed statistically significant association with willingness to undergo cosmetic treatment. Conclusion: BDD, FGRS, and religious attitude are among the highest predictors of the willingness of women to undergo cosmetic procedures together with many other factors. This study is the first of its kind to evaluate several unexplored motives and opens the door for future research. Level of Evidence V: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.

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  • Participants in a 2022 study of Egyptian Muslim women reported intense pressure to conform to limiting beauty standards, as deviation risks social exclusion or reduced marriage prospects.

    “Participants reported intense pressure to conform to limiting beauty standards, as deviation risks social exclusion or reduced marriage prospects16.”

    From Association between beauty standards shaped by social media and body dysmorphia among Egyptian medical students (2025) · cites this paper as [16]

    The Participants section identifies the sample as Egyptian Muslim women, and Results > Secondary Outcomes reports partner pressure to change appearance and greater internalization of beauty standards among women willing to undergo cosmetic procedures. The paper does not report that participants described the pressure as intense or the standards as limiting, nor does it establish social exclusion or reduced marriage prospects as consequences of deviating from them. (LLM, conf=0.85)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • A 2022 survey of plastic surgery found that 41% of Egyptian women presenting for cosmetic surgery cited 'marriage market competitiveness' as a primary reason, many with female gender role stress.

    “The 2022 survey of plastic surgery discovered that 41% of Egyptian women presenting for cosmetic surgery cited “marriage market competitiveness” as a primary reason, many concomitant with female gender role stress (FGRS)16.”

    From Association between beauty standards shaped by social media and body dysmorphia among Egyptian medical students (2025) · cites this paper as [16]

    The Discussion (page unavailable) reports that higher female gender role stress was associated with willingness to undergo cosmetic surgery. But the Methodology and Participants sections describe an online survey of Egyptian Muslim women, not women presenting for surgery. The paper does not report that 41% cited “marriage market competitiveness” as a primary reason. (LLM, conf=0.90)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Traditional beauty standards identify physical beauty with moral virtue, a subject examined in a 2022 study of Egyptian Muslim women.

    “This anxiety is fueled by traditional beauty standards that identify physical beauty and moral virtue, a subject examined in a 2022 study of Egyptian Muslim women16.”

    From Association between beauty standards shaped by social media and body dysmorphia among Egyptian medical students (2025) · cites this paper as [16]

  • The 2023 Alexandria cohort illustrated that help-resistance tripled BDD risk (OR = 3.327).

    “This treatment avoidance persists: the 2023 Alexandria cohort illustrated that help-resistance tripled BDD risk (OR = 3.327)16.”

    From Association between beauty standards shaped by social media and body dysmorphia among Egyptian medical students (2025) · cites this paper as [16]

    The Questionnaire and Results sections measure BDD symptoms and associations with cosmetic-treatment willingness, but do not report help-resistance or an odds ratio of 3.327. Searches for that figure and for treatment avoidance found no passage addressing the claimed association; the cited paper is dated 2022, not 2023. (LLM, conf=0.76)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Khattab, N. R., Abdelraouf, N., & Ashour, T.
Affiliations
Cairo University (EG)
Corresponding author
Khattab, Nada Raafat
ORCID
Khattab, Nada Raafat
Venue
Aesthetic Plastic Surgery
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2022-04-06
Volume
46
Issue
4
Pages
2040-2052
ISSN
  • 0364-216X (ISSN-L)
  • 1432-5241
DOI
10.1007/s00266-022-02834-6
PMC
PMC9512875
OpenAlex
W4225918116
Cited by
14
References
0
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 9
FWCI
2.51
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
Cairo University
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Body Image and Dysmorphia Studies
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Dermatology › Facial Rejuvenation and Surgery Techniques
  • Social Sciences › Cultural Studies › Tattoo and Body Piercing Complications
Keywords
cosmetic procedures, body dysmorphic disorder, religious attitudes, Muslim women, Egyptian women, social pressure, family influence, beauty standards, self-satisfaction, life satisfaction, social media use, postoperative dissatisfaction
MeSH terms
Attitude, Female, Humans, Personal Satisfaction, Surveys and Questionnaires, Surgery, Plastic, Body Dysmorphic Disorders

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