Comparison of Mental Health and Self-Esteem in Applicants and Non-Applicants for Female Genital Cosmetic Surgery (FGCS): A Case-Control

Background: Today, genital cosmetic surgery (GCS) is rapidly expanding and applicants for this kind of surgery are increasing. The objective of this study was to compare mental disorder and self-esteem among female applicants and non-applicants for GCS. Methods: This is a case-control study and participants included 163 women of reproductive age, 83 of whom applied for GCS (case group) and 80 did not (control group). The participants were selected from the specialized obstetrics and gynecology clinic of Alavi Hospital in Ardabil, Iran using a convenient sampling method. Women were examined for pelvic prolapse in both groups. Rosenberg self-esteem scale was used for measuring self-esteem and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) was used as a screening tool for mental health. Results: There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of the mean mental health score (P = 0.23). There was a significant difference between the two groups in terms of the physical symptoms (P = 0.01) and depression (P = 0.003) subdomains of mental disorder. In addition, the women in the case group had significantly lower self-esteem than those in the control group (P = 0.001). Conclusions: There is a significant difference in terms of physical symptoms and depression between the two groups. GCS applicant women have lower self-esteem compared to non-applicant women.