Most human beings have experienced some type of body image concern. Who hasn’t asked or wondered, “does this outfit make me look fat, my butt look too big, is my nose too big or crooked, etc.”?

People with BDD become preoccupied with a perceived bodily defect or flaw. They believe that they look ugly, unattractive, abnormal or deformed and often feel their appearance is offensive to others. Some people feel so bad about their appearance that you may hear them refer to themselves as looking “hideous” or like a “monster”. However, the perceived imperfection may not even be noticeable to others or if so, viewed as very slight.

People who suffer from BDD can become so distressed that they often engage in excessive, time consuming, costly or even dangerous behaviors in attempts to correct the flaw and alleviate the associated distress.

Such behaviors may include, but are not limited to:

• Repeatedly checking mirrors or other reflective surfaces
• Excessive grooming (e.g. shaving, styling, picking skin or pulling hair)
• Camouflaging (e.g. applying makeup, colored hair powders, wearing hats, sunglasses, etc.)
• Reassurance seeking
• Repeatedly touching the area to “check” it
• Excessive exercising or weight lifting
• Tanning
• Cosmetic or self-administered surgeries