Personality Disorders among Individuals Seeking Cosmetic Botulinum Toxin Type A (BoNTA) Injection, a Cross-Sectional Study.

OBJECTIVE: Body dysmorphic disorder, narcissistic personality disorder, and histrionic personality disorders are the most frequent personality disorders in patients seeking cosmetic interventions. Botulinum toxin type A (BoNTA) injection for cosmetic purpose is the most popular among non-surgical cosmetic procedures and is also the second common aesthetic treatment in Iran. The current study aimed to assess personality disorders in people who were referred for BoNTA injection in Ardabil, Iran. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study on personality disorders in applicants for cosmetic BoNTA injection in Iran.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a descriptive cross-sectional study, 200 eligible applicants for cosmetic BoNTA injection were selected by non-probability sampling. Firstly, the participants' demographic data were recorded in data gathering forms. Then their personality characteristics were evaluated via the Milton Clinical Multiaxial Inventory 3rd edition, which is a standardized self-report questionnaire for the assessment of personality disorders and clinical syndromes.

RESULTS: Narcissistic personality trait was the most common (34.5%) followed by histrionic personality trait (27%), and obsessive personality trait was the least common personality trait (4%) in patients seeking BoNTA injection. Anxiety disorder had the highest frequency of clinical syndromes (46%) among the participants in this study, somatization had 25.5%, and dysthymia had the lowest frequency (11%).

CONCLUSION: The current study concluded that narcissistic and histrionic personality traits and anxiety and somatization symptoms are higher in applicants for cosmetic BoNTA injection.