Overall, the results reveal positive outcomes of receiving aesthetic surgery across areas, including anxiety, social phobia, depression, body dysmorphia, goal attainment, quality of life, life satisfaction, attractiveness, mental and physical health, well-being, self-efficacy and self-esteem. Among those dissatisfied with a particular physical feature and considering aesthetic surgery, undergoing surgery appears to result in positive self-reported psychological changes.

Funding This study was supported by Mang Medical One AG, a large provider of plastic surgery in Germany, under the direction of the first author while at the Department of Psychology at the University of Basel. The study directors were scientifically independent and not bound by the directives on any important issues such as design, analysis, and presentation. We appreciate the participants in this study and the research assistants on the project for their assistance in data collection and management.