Factors associated with patient satisfaction following aesthetic surgery

Background: Postoperative satisfaction in aesthetic surgery can be assessed using validated outcome measures such as the BREAST-Q, BODY-Q, and FACE-Q. While these instruments are widely utilized, the determinants underlying satisfaction scores remain insufficiently explored in the literature. The present study aims to identify and characterize the variables that influence patient satisfaction following aesthetic surgical procedures. Methods: We conducted a prospective, non-interventional, multicenter study involving 162 patients over a six-month period. A custom-designed questionnaire was administered, and clinical as well as demographic data were collected for each participant. Demographic, preoperative, and postoperative variables were analyzed for their association with overall satisfaction rates using appropriate statistical methods. Results: Based on our inclusion criteria, we selected 78 patients who underwent aesthetic surgery procedures: 27 breast surgery, 25 abdominoplasty, 13 liposuction, 10 rhinoplasty and 3 other aesthetic interventions. The overall average satisfaction rate was 69%. Among the demographic variables, two showed a statistically significant association (p < 0.05): history of psychiatric disorders and smoking status. No significant correlation was observed for age, gender, ethnicity, employment status, alcohol consumption, or history of cosmetic surgery. Regarding preoperative factors, three variables were highly significant (p < 0.001): quality of contact with the surgeon, quality of given information, and psychological malaise related to physical appearance and low self-esteem. Postoperatively, three factors were also highly significant (p < 0.001): sensibility evolution, scar management, and improvement in sexual life. Conclusions: Our results suggest that understanding patient satisfaction in aesthetic surgery is a multifactorial topic in which several variables play a specific role. Their evaluation could be the key to achieve better results in terms of patient satisfaction.