Does Cosmetic Rhinoplasty Improve Self-Concept and Patient’s Satisfaction with Nose Fitness? Testing the Differences Before and After Surgery with 3 To 6 Months Follow-Up

Background: Despite the great number of cosmetic rhinoplasties, there are few studies on the improvement of self-concept and patient satisfaction with nose fitness. Objectives: This study attempted to examine the variability of self-concept and patient satisfaction with nose fitness before and after cosmetic rhinoplasty through three to six months of follow-up. Materials and Methods: Under a pretest-posttest single-group design, a total of 100 women and men applying for cosmetic rhinoplasty at the academic clinics in Guilan were selected though convenience sampling. The participants’ age ranged from 17-47 years old and each of them responded to the Beck Self- Concept Test (BSCT) and Satisfaction Visual Analogue Scale (S-VAS) before and three to six months after the cosmetic surgery. The data were analyzed through the independent t-test and univariate analysis of covariance (UNIANCOVA) under a 2×2 factorial design, after controlling for the two variables of age and marital status. Results: The mean age of patients was 26.85±6.60 years. We found that the self-concept in patients post-surgery had not improved compared with presurgery (p>0.05). However, the patients’ satisfaction with nose fitness significantly increased after surgery (F=70.10, p<0.0001). There was no significant difference between the female and male groups in terms of selfconcept and satisfaction with nose fitness (p>0.05). Conclusion: Although many rhinoplasty applicants were satisfied about the changes in their facial features, rhinoplasty seems to have failed to improve the patients’ self-concept, the implications of which are discussed.