en عمومى General مقالات اصيل Original Article <p><strong>BACKGROUND</strong></p> <p>Nowadays, with the help of cosmetic surgery almost every woman and man can achieve a highly attractive appearance. The question is, why so many people do not take advantage of these opportunities? This pilot-study investigates individual attitudes of people towards aesthetic plastic surgery.</p> <p><strong>METHODS</strong></p> <p>A questionnaire was developed which combined self-developed items for a measurement of attitudes towards plastic surgery. In addition, items of the &ldquo;Freiburger Personality Inventory&rdquo; (FPI-R) were used. The study was conducted in Hamburg/Germany. 104One hundred and four test persons participated in the survey (81 females, 23 males, age 20-30 years). Eighty six of the participants (82.7%) had an A-level as degree of education, 14.4% achieved the secondary school certificate and 2.9% had completed their bachelor on a high school.</p> <p><strong>RESULTS</strong></p> <p>The data supported the hypothesis that people who are unsatisfied with their body appearance showed more willingness for a surgical intervention. On the other hand, fear of complications and pain as far as anxiety before an unsatisfactory result hinders them from a decision for an intervention. Significant correlations with regard to extraversion-introversion and the education level were not found. Females showed more willingness regarding an intervention than men. Gender-specific differences concerning the cost factor were not found.</p> <p><strong>CONCLUSION</strong></p> <p>Interestingly more than 65% of the total sample felt dissatisfaction with a specific body part and are thus target of aesthetic surgery. The yellow press often reports about failed cosmetic surgery, especially in VIP-persons. Aesthetic surgery should keep working to reduce unwarranted fears of people toward these kinds of operations.</p> Plastic surgery, Operation, Aesthetic, Beauty, Cosmetic surgery, Fear 226 235 http://wjps.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-176-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Leitermann Mona m-leitermann@web.de 10031947532846002484 10031947532846002484 Yes Hoffmann Klaus k.hoffmann@derma.de 10031947532846002485 10031947532846002485 No Kasten Erich EriKasten@aol.com 10031947532846002486 10031947532846002486 No