A new study suggests that cosmetic plastic surgery may improve mental health in patients taking antidepressants. The findings, which were presented at the recent conference for the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, showed that nearly one third of patients taking antidepressants discontinued their use after undergoing cosmetic plastic surgery.

Cosmetic procedures have long been linked to improved self-esteem. However, improvements in self-esteem do not explain the link between cosmetic surgery and overall improved mental health in patients taking antidepressants.

“The percentage of patients reporting an improvement in self-esteem was similar among patients who were and were not able to stop their antidepressants. So, it appears that it wasn't a self-esteem effect. Instead, it may relate to a separate effect on the quality of life,” said lead researcher of the study, Dr. Bruce Freedman.

Researchers examined 362 patients – primarily middle-aged women – who underwent various cosmetic procedures including breast augmentation, facelift, and tummy tuck. Sixty-one of those patients were taking antidepressants prior to undergoing surgery.

Six months after surgery, that number had dropped by about a third to 42 patients. Almost all patients – 98 percent – reported improved self-esteem after surgery.

Freedman said that the research did not examine the individual mental health diagnoses of the patients or whether their depression was related to a physical feature which the surgery was to correct.

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