Avoid Condescension
Lets say I don’t like my slowly graying hair. One day when I show up at the salon, will the stylist tell me I don’t need “Just for Men” hair color? “Your gray hair is perfect, you don’t need this product.”Forget them! If I want Touch of Gray, you bet I’m going to get it!
Doesn’t an attitude of “your [body part] is great” deny the individual space to make reasonable determinations about self-image?
When patients discuss an area of concern, often it’s something that doesn’t bother me. That’s not the point – it bothers the patient.
Body Dysmorphic Disorder
There are people who suffer from mental illness. Typical hallmarks of body dysmorphic disorder are extreme preoccupation, perfectionist tendencies and avoiding social situations. While I am not a psychiatrist, I do refer out to mental health professionals when I have a concern. See here and here.
On multiple occasions, I have required patients obtain psychiatric clearance for surgery, just as I would obtain cardiac clearance to ensure that a patient is healthy enough to undergo a procedure.
Not encouraging patients to undergo a procedure they otherwise do not want
This is the opposite of avoiding condescension.
Your eyebrows – they are not 100% symmetric. Your nose – you noticed that bump? Your upper lip – it looks small when you smile. It’s very easy to make people self conscious about their body – and that’s not right.
So I don’t judge people when they tell me something concerns them. Likewise, I don’t manufacture concern where none exists.
