Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is a rare but distressing condition where sufferers become obsessed with what they regard as defects in their appearance - defects which either do not exist or a typical person would hardly notice.
Over time, these invisible or minor defects become an overwhelming concern that dictates the way they lead their lives. People with BDD have a strong desire to have cosmetic surgery and will often keep returning for treatments they do not need.
The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons is concerned that some private clinics are failing to identify BDD sufferers and are selling treatments to them when they should instead be referred for psychological therapy.
BAAPS has also condemned some commercial cosmetic surgery companies for using inappropriate marketing techniques that encourage vulnerable people to buy procedures unnecessarily.
Martha Kearney will be discussing this with a sufferer, Adam Searle, former president of BAAPS, Elizabeth Dale, commercial director of one of the leading private companies in this field, the Transform Cosmetic Surgery Group.
