Summary: Cosmetic surgical procedures are generally considered safe and rarely cause complications. Hence, the popularity of such procedures is rising among young adults. However, a new Norwegian study shows that a significant number of young adults develop chronic pain after such cosmetic procedures. This particular study found that more than 10% of the patients continue to experience pain even after three months of the procedure, and many of them are young male patients.
Cosmetic surgery is an elective surgery. In many instances, it is needed due to some aesthetic defects. However, in most instances, people undergo cosmetic surgery to enhance their looks. However, complications related to such surgical procedures remain poorly understood and under-reported. However, a new study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Pain shows that post-surgical pain is not rare after such elective procedures (1).
Some of the people who undergo cosmetic surgery are already at risk of developing chronic pains, or many of them are already experiencing them. Many of these individuals have mood and emotional disorders, and these issues are known risk factors for chronic pain.
Further, the popularity of cosmetic surgical procedures is rising. Almost half of adults would like to have one or another cosmetic procedure. In the US, more than 1.5 million adults undergo major cosmetic surgical procedures each year (2). However, it is unclear how many of them might develop chronic pain issues. Understanding this is vital, as such individuals need specialized care.
New Study Confirms that More Than 10% Likely to Experience Chronic Pain After Cosmetic Surgery
Although the popularity of cosmetic surgery is rising, but there is not enough research into its certain aspects. There is more need to understand why people undergo these procedures, what kind of health issues are more common among them, and the long-term complications of cosmetic surgery.
This study by researchers from the University of Oslo surveyed 1,746 adults who had undergone cosmetic surgery. It mainly asked them about chronic pain – especially chronic post-surgical pain.
The study had some interesting findings. It appears that 12.6% of the patients experienced chronic pain. The study noticed that many of them were young adults below the age of 30.
Further, the study had one more interesting finding: males were five times more likely to experience chronic pain post-cosmetic surgery than females. However, most cosmetic surgery patients tend to be females. This finding is especially worth noticing since chronic pain is generally more common among females, especially those experiencing mood and emotional disorders.
Yet, another surprising finding was that chronic pain was more common among younger patients. Thus, two-thirds of all those who reported chronic pain were aged 18-29.
This Study clearly shows that there is a gap in our understanding of chronic pain. Moreover, people rarely think that cosmetic surgical procedures might also cause chronic pain. Even more so, young males do not expect to experience such issues.
Of course, there are many limitations to this study. Nevertheless, it is an eye-opener. This study was done on those who have undergone invasive cosmetic surgery. However, millions of people in the US also undergo minimally invasive cosmetic procedures. Thus, there is also a need to understand if such procedures pose similar risks.
Further, there is a need for studies to understand the risk factors for such chronic pain. It is quite likely that these might be individuals living with certain predisposing factors. Developing a better understanding of these issues may help prevent pain from becoming chronic.
Chronic pain is more challenging to manage, and it requires a treatment approach different from managing acute pain. Clinics providing cosmetic surgical procedures are good at managing acute pains. However, chronic pain requires a different approach, and these patients need to visit specialized clinics.
The Bottom Line
It appears that chronic pain isn’t uncommon post-cosmetic surgery procedures. Those undergoing cosmetic surgery must need to understand these risks. Those who experience such issues must seek treatment at pain clinics that have the expertise to manage such issues more effectively.
References
1. Engel S, Jacobsen HB, Reme SE. Cosmetic surgery and associated chronic post-surgical pain: A cross-sectional study from Norway. Scandinavian Journal of Pain [Internet]. 2024 Jan 1 [cited 2024 May 1];24(1). Available from: https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/sjpain-2023-0099/html?lang=en
2. Tuesday S 26. American Society of Plastic Surgeons. [cited 2024 May 1]. American Society of Plastic Surgeons Reveals 2022’s Most Sought-After Procedures. Available from: https://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/press-releases/american-society-of-plastic-surgeons-reveals-2022s-most-sought-after-procedures
