Totally, 20 interviews were performed with 16 care-seekers, three therapists, and one family member. Table 2 lists the demographics of participants.
Table 1
Demographic characteristics of the patients participating in the research
Marital Status
|
Job
|
Education
|
Age (year)
|
No
|
Single
|
Self-employment
|
Secondary level
|
30
|
1
|
Single
|
Self-employment
|
Secondary level
|
30
|
2
|
Single
|
Hair-barber
|
High school
|
20
|
3
|
Single
|
Nurse
|
Higher Edu.
|
32
|
4
|
Married
|
Self-employment
|
Secondary level
|
35
|
5
|
Single
|
Student
|
Nursing student
|
25
|
6
|
Single
|
Self-employment
|
Higher Edu.
|
30
|
7
|
Single
|
Unemployed
|
Secondary level
|
18
|
8
|
Single
|
Student
|
Higher Edu.
|
19
|
9
|
Single
|
Student
|
Medical student
|
28
|
10
|
Single
|
Self-employment
|
Secondary level
|
23
|
11
|
Single
|
student
|
Secondary level
|
19
|
12
|
Single
|
student
|
Secondary level
|
18
|
13
|
Single
|
Student
|
Medical student
|
19
|
14
|
Single
|
Staff
|
Secondary level
|
24
|
15
|
Married
|
Employee
|
Higher Edu.
|
27
|
16
|
Data analyses revealed 684 primary codes and the continuous examination and removal of repetitious codes left 497 codes, nine sub-themes, and two themes (Table 2).
Table 2
Sub-themes
|
Themes
|
Lack of confidence
|
Reasons for doing rhinoplasty
|
Hope for a better face
|
Seeking attention
|
Keeping up with the Joneses
|
Persuasion by others
|
Family challenges
|
Challenges
|
Social atmosphere
|
Financial problems
|
Unwanted side-effects of surgery
|
Reasons for doing rhinoplasty
Lack of confidence
One of the sub-themes found in the study was lack of confidence which was comprised of codes namely low confidence, distorted mental image, obsessive attention to appearance, being mocked by friends and peers, influenced by negative feedbacks of others, negative effects of appearance, depression, and assuming one’s appearance as a weakness or a problem in social interactions and relationships.
Some of the participants were influenced by the negative feedbacks on their appearance by others. There were cases of being mocked by others and obsessive attention to physical appearance. The negative effects of these led to disorder in mental image of oneself so that they would see their nose as a disadvantage and lose their confidence. The decline in self-confidence creates disorders in social relationships. In this regard, the participants stated:
“It only takes a dozen of negative feedbacks to lose your confidence and then you think you have to do the surgery…” (No.11). “I would watch myself in mirror and there was nothing wrong with the nose. But, my friends’ comments influenced me…” (No.15). “If there were a few classy individuals in a party, I would not dare to go…” (No.9). “I can’t say that I was depressed, but I was not interested in going out and being seen by others…” (No.16). “People only see the nose and don’t care about what you have to say…” (No.1). “Seeing myself in mirror was bothering…” (No.11).
Some of the participants had a different experience. Despite the positive opinions of the friends about their nose, they had a negative mental image of themselves and consequently found themselves in a lower status. “Everyone would say that my nose is OK, but I had a problem with it, I thought it was too bid…” (No.2). “Although, everyone would say that your nose fits you face, I liked to have nose job anyway…” (No.4). “You always think that your face is uglier than others’ and this affects your confidence…” (No.14). A cosmetic surgeon noted: “These individuals suffer body dysmorphic disorder. Most of them do. An individual, who does not like their face, is not healthy.”
In some cases, the mental engagement and the negative effect of ones’ physical appearance on spirit is too high that people develop depression. A participants noted: “appearance change through nose job solves depression…” (No.12). A nurse in rhinoplasty operation room said: “Many of the patients suffer depression and physicians recommend nose job as a way to change.” The clients underwent rhinoplasty to have a better face and solve their lack of confidence.
Hope for a better face
Another sub-theme was the hope for a better face including the codes namely desire to become more beautiful, having better feedbacks on one’s photos, and having a different physical appearance. All the participants decided to have a nose job in the hope for a better face and because of the importance of physical appearance. In this regard, some of the participants stated: “I was only thinking about physical beauty…” (No.1). “Like women, men also need to be beautiful…” (No3). “I wanted to be beautiful…” (No.2).
Some of the participants had a distorted mental image of their appearance so that they could not stand their photos and to have a better appearance in photos, decided to have a nose job. A participant noted: “One thing that bothered me most was the septal division in photos…” (No.6). A cosmetic surgeon said: “Many do nose job for their wedding ceremonies and the photos….”
Some of the participants highlighted dissatisfaction with physical appearance and the desire to alter their physical appearance. “Some like a different face…” (No.14). “I wanted change and difference…” (No.16).
Seeking attention
The next sub-theme extracted from the interviews was seeking attention. The codes under this sub-theme were drawing attention, drawing attention of the opposite sex, and the belief in the effect of rhinoplasty on having a better marriage opportunity. Some of the participants underwent the surgery to receive more attention and to receive more love. Given the expected increase in facial beauty, the participants believed that after the surgery, they can enjoy more attention and more friends. In this regard, some of the participants reported: “You can attract more people after a nose job…” (No.2). “With more beauty, you can expect more friends and attention…” (No11). “They pay you more attention when you have a nose job…” (No.16).
Some of the participants believed that one’s appearance is a factor in marriage opportunity and that the face is very important for marriage. Therefore, they decided to have a nose job to attract the opposite sex. “Nose job is very important for marriage…” (No.6). “I would try to cover my nose by my hand or keep my head down when I was hanging out with girls…” (No.12). The participants underwent nose job in the hope for a better face and attract more people.
Keeping up with the Joneses
This sub-theme consisted for codes viz. keeping up with fashion and defeating rivals. Through their social interactions, people might be affected by the fashion trends. Increase in the popularity of nose surgery among men can affect the decision for rhinoplasty. In this regard, some of the participants reported: ”Well, it’s now a norm in the society and as a member of the society I can see that everyone is having a nose job…” (No.5). “One reason for me was that having a nose job was the fad” (No.15).
Some of the participants decided to do nose job only for keeping up with the Joneses and defeating rivals. A participant noted: “One reason for me was to keep up with the Joneses…” (No.8). A nurse in rhinoplasty ward with extensive experience in this field mentioned: “90% of nose jobs are unnecessary, still, people want to keep up with the Joneses.” She also commented, “It’s more about keeping up with the Joneses, in some cases, all members of a family do rhinoplasty.” Some of the clients expected a better face and through this, defeating their rivals.
Persuasion by others
Persuasion by others consisted of motivation by others and friends, positive effects of others’ experience, and the effects of mass media. Some of the participants underwent rhinoplasty based their friends, family members, and relatives’ recommendations. “My friends highly recommended it. They would say that you can change your face…” (No.19). “My friends were a great reason for my decision…” (No.6). “It was my uncle’s nose job…” (No.8).
Some were motivated by seeing satisfaction in others after rhinoplasty and accept their recommendation in the hope of having a better face. “My friend had an ugly face, but after the surgery he was a different person…” (No.5). “Seeing how my friends’ faces were changed convinced me to have a nose job…” (No.16).
Some of the participants followed changes in appearance of others after rhinoplasty in social media and found them reason enough to do rhinoplasty. “I visited personal page of physicians on Instagram and saw how people had been changed. This made me more serious about the decision…” (No.14).
Challenges
Family challenges
Family challenges was one of the sub-themes in making decision about rhinoplasty with two codes of negative reaction of family members and cultural-religious prejudice, which were among the main challenges in making decision for rhinoplasty. Some of the clients had decided not to do rhinoplasty due to family and parents disapprove of the surgery in particular. The majority of participants noted the belief that rhinoplasty is for women as the main reason for the disapproval by the family. In this regard, some of the participants reported: “I changed my mind for several times, my family didn’t approve of rhinoplasty…” (No8). “At first, my family didn’t accept the idea of nose job by men…” (No.11). “My father disapproved of nose job by my brother, saying that he wants to be like girls…” (No.14).
Some of the participants highlighted religious-cultural prejudices as the obstacles in the way of rhinoplasty. Some societies and families do not accept the idea of cosmetic surgeries by men and some families find it as intervention in God’s job. These are the obstacles of rhinoplasty. “My mother used to say that this is like intervention in God’s job…” (No.16).
Social atmosphere
Social atmosphere was another sub-theme found through data analysis consisting of the codes concerns about negative reactions by others and the belief that it is a women’s thing. Some societies do not accept rhinoplasty by men and believe that it is for women. Some of the participants had thought about leaving the idea of rhinoplasty due to their concerns of negative reactions by others. “The society is not quite OK with cosmetic surgery by men. They might say that he is a sissy and he is like girls….” (No.3). “Some would express their negative attitudes towards rhetorically and make you feel that this is for girls…” (No.15). “I myself was not OK with it and didn’t like to do the surgery during the university. You know, some may say that you are a sissy and this bothers me. I didn’t want anyone in the university know that I have had a nose job…” (No.6). A family member said, “He’s not OK with it. He feels shy being seen among relatives.”
Financial problems
Another sub-theme extracted from the interviews was financial problems with two codes of financial limitations and medical insurance coverage. Many of the care-seekers give up rhinoplasty due to the high expenses and that medical insurances do not cover it. Some, however, underwent the surgery despite the expenses. A participant said: “Some might even sell their smartphone to pay for the surgery” (No.4). “Some long for cosmetic surgery, but they don’t have the money…” (No.1).
Unwanted side-effects of surgery
Unwanted side-effects of surgery consisted of codes namely the fear of surgery, concerns about the side-effects, unsuccessful experiences of others with the surgery, and occupational limitations. Some of participants mentioned the fear of undergoing surgery and the side-effects as the reasons for giving up the surgery. A participant noted: “Many avoid the surgery because of the fear of operation. Although, they don’t like their face, still, they prefer not to do the surgery…” (No.4). “The risks of surgery convinced me not to have one…” (No.9).
Some of the participants gave up the idea by seeing unsuccessful experiences of others. A participant said: “One of my friends had a nose job and the result of his surgery convinced me to give it up…” (No.7). A nurse said: “Some check other patients to see what percentage of them have developed respiratory problems.”