Qualitative Model of Women's Desire for Cosmetic Surgery in the Covid-19 Pandemic Period

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

• Maryam Nademi ¹
• Akbar Talebpour ²
• Farah Torkaman ¹

¹ Department of Sociology, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.

² Associate Professor, Sociology Department, Social Sciences and Economics Faculty, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran, Corresponding Author.

10.30495/jzvj.2023.30506.3853

Abstract

The current research was conducted using a qualitative approach and phenomenological method based on the grounded theory model in order to sociologically investigate the phenomenon of cosmetic surgery among women. The researched population were women living in Ilam city who had a history of cosmetic surgery during the corona pandemic, and 16 of them were selected using a targeted sampling method, The results of the research related to the causal factors regarding the effects of the corona pandemic on the desire for cosmetic surgery, two opposite effects were identified. Remote working caused by the pandemic has a positive effect on women's willingness to undergo cosmetic surgery, while the negative effects include the fear of contracting the corona virus, the use of masks at work and other public places, and the reduction of ceremonies and visits by relatives and acquaintances, which as a result It has reduced their desire for cosmetic surgery. Also, the findings of the research show that the most concepts related to the qualitative dimensions of women's tendency to cosmetic surgery during the corona pandemic are related to the main dimension of women's negative self-image, and from this point of view, the factor of hiding upper facial defects due to the use of the mask during the pandemic has encouraged them to perform cosmetic surgery on the upper parts of the face. Also, the social isolation caused by Corona, which has been one of the categories of fear of rejection, has encouraged them to undergo cosmetic surgery.

Keywords

• Qualitative method
• grounded theory
• phenomenology
• cosmetic surgery
• corona pandemic

---

References

- Ahmadi E, Adlipour S, Afshar S, Bonyad L. Sociological Explication of Body Management and its Relation with Social and Cultural Factors in Girls and Women in Tabriz City. Women Studies, 2016, 7(15), 29-50.

2- Abdollahi H, Madadi H, Moradi S. Study of Power Structure In Family and Its Effect on Women’s Reflexive Identity. Social Sciences, 2014, 21(66), 74-120. doi: 10.22054/qjss.2014.724.

3- Aghaei A, Khalili M. Phenomenological analysis of body management among girls and young women in Tehran. Journal of Women & Study of Familiy, 2018, 11 (41). 57-72.

4- Cash TF, Pruzinsky T. Body Image: A Handbook of Theory, Research, and Clinical Practice. 1^st Edition, Guilford Press. 2002.

5- E’temadifard SM, Amani M. A Sociological Study on Women’s Motivations for Pursuing Cosmetic Surgery. Women Studies, 2013, 4(8), 1-22.

6- Ganji M, Amir Mazaheri AM, labibi M. The social genealogy and manipulation of body among Iranian women. Journal of Woman and Family Studies, 2019, 7(1), 205-245. doi: 10.22051/jwfs.2019.13890.1358.

7- Ghasemi A. A Qualitative Study of Women's Attitudes and Perceptions towards their Body. Journal of Applied Sociology, 2017, 28(4), 173-194. doi: 10.22108/jas.2017.75214.0.

8- Ghobadi H, kaldi A, Mahdavy MS. The Structural Equations models of Socio- Cultural Reasons on Tendency to Cosmetic Surgeries (A case study among in the city of Ilam). Journal of Socio - Cultural Changes, 2020,  16(4), 101-119.

9- Greenberg JL, Weingarden H, Wilhelm SA. Practical Guide to Managing Body Dysmorphic Disorder in the Cosmetic Surgery Setting. JAMA Facial Plast Surg. 2019 May 1;21(3):181-182. doi: 10.1001/jamafacial.2018.1840. PMID: 30676626.

10- Haghighatian M, Hashemianfar S, Darabi M. A Study on Social- Cultural Factors Affecting Body Image with an Emphasis on Lifestyle among Young Women in Tehran. Strategic Studies on Youth ans Sports, 2016, 14(30), 179-201.

11- Hemmati E. The effect of social networks on the tendency of women to have maxillofacial cosmetic surgeries in Ahvaz in 2019. Jundishapur Scientific Medical Journal, 2020, 19(3), 277-284. doi: 10.22118/jsmj.2020.221097.2004.

12- Johansson J, Tienari J, Valtonen A. The body, identity and gender in managerial athleticism. Human Relations. 2017, 70(9): 1141-1167.

13- Kalantar-Hormozi A. A brief history of plastic surgery in iran. Archives of Iranaian Medicine, 2013, 16 (3), 201-206. PMID: 23432179.

14- Karami- Mozayan N, Amirpour B, Mohseni-Nezhad S. Analysis of the underlying contexts of cosmetic surgery in women: a qualitative study based on psychoanalytic theory. JNIP, 2021, 9 (13), 1-10.

15- Keivanara M, Rabbāni R, Zhianpour M. Social Stratification and Physical improvements/Plastic Surgery as a Symbol for Social Class. Women's Strategic Studies, 2010, 12(47), 73-98.

16- Khalajinia Z, Abedini Z, Ahmari- Tehran H, Khoramirad A. Explaining People's Experience of Life in the Context of Covid-19 Epidemic in Qom. Qom University of Medical Sciences Journal, 2021, 15 (7), 464-473.

17- Maroof pour M, Safiri Kh, Tavasoli A, Vadieh S. Presenting the model of women's identity conflict. Journal of Woman & Study of Family, 2018, 10 (38), 43-67.

18- Mirfardi A, Safarpour M. The Thematic Analysis of Use of Modern Cosmetics Patterns and Accessories among Female Students of University. Quarterly Journal of Women and Society, 2022, 13(49), 119-134. doi: 10.30495/jzvj.2022.25588.3321.

19- Mirzaei Kh. The causes and consequences of the epidemic and globalization of the Corona virus-Covid 19. Social impact assessment, 2021, 2, 14-40.

20- Noaman AA, Abbas MA, Dhahi NK. Demographic and Personal Factors that Encourage Iraqi People to Undergo Plastic Surgery, International Journal of Psychosocial Rehabilitation, 2020, 24 (04). 10743-10747.

21- Noghani M, Khorasani MM, Varshoe S. Social Factors Influencing Women to have Cosmetic Surgery. Women's Studies Sociological and Psychological, 2010, 8(4), 75-101. doi: 10.22051/jwsps.2010.1385.

22- Norozi A, Maleki A. Parsamehr M, Ghasemi H. Investigating the effect of body image and body management on women's sports participation in Ilam province. Journal of Applied Sociology, 2018, 29(4): 99-122. doi: 10.22108/jas.2018.104379.1117.

23- Pirahari N, Bidaran S. Social Factors Affecting on Women’s Tendency to Cosmetic Surgery. Quarterly Journal of Women and Society, 20218, 8(32), 229-246.

24- Pourkaveh dehkordi E, khan mohammadi A, abbasi asfajir A. Meta- Analysis of the Causes of Iranian Women’s Tendency to Cosmetic  Surgery. Quarterly Journal of Health Psychology, 2020, 9(34): 7-24. doi: 10.30473/hpj.2020.44278.4266.

25- Qaderzadeh O, Khaleqpanah K, Khazaii S. Women,s Experiances of Cosmetic Surgery; Qualitative Study of Reasons and Consequences. Woman in Development & Politics, 2014, 12(1), 1-20. doi: 10.22059/jwdp.2014.51343.

26- Rabani Esfahani H, Yazdekhasti B. Qualitative Study of Radical Feminism Effect on Woman Role in Family Institute and Comparing it with Islam Maneuvers (Case Study: Women of Isfahan). Journal of Applied Sociology, 2015, 26(2), 125-140.

27- Rastegar Khaled A, Kaveh M. Women and Beauty Project (Subjective meanings of cosmetic surgery). Woman in Development & Politics, 2014, 11(4), 453-478. doi: 10.22059/jwdp.2014.50282.

28- Safarishali R. Women’s Tendency towards Cosmetic Surgery as Social Acceptability: Displaying Objective Welfare. Social Sciences, 2019, 26(84), 69-96. doi: 10.22054/qjss.2019.45120.2136.

29- Safiri K, Golbahari N. The Relationship between Cultural Capital and Body Management The Case of 20-59 years old Women Living in Tehran. Sociological Review, 2013, 20(1), 39-65. doi: 10.22059/jsr.2013.56208.

30- Scapaticci S, Neri CR, Marseglia GL. et al. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on lifestyle behaviors in children and adolescents: an international overview. Ital J Pediatr, 2022, 48 (22). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13052-022-01211-y.

31- Soroush M, Hosseini M. Globalization, Independent Identity and Urban Women Lifestyle: A Comparison of Women in Shiraz and Estahban, Fars. Quarterly Journal of Women and Society, 2013, 4(13), 53-76.

32- Strauss A, Corbin J. Basics of qualitative research: grounded theory procedures and techniques. Translated by Ibrahim, A. Tehran: Publishing Ney. (Text in Persian). 2011.

33- Suleymani S. Futurities of beauty and the scalpel: Cosmetic surgeries and fatphobia in Iran. Fat Studies, 2020, 9(3): 204-219.

34- Thompson JB. The Media and Modernity: A social theory of media. Stanford University Press, U.S.A. 1995.

35- Veblen T. The Theory of the Leisure Class. 1^st Edition, New York, Routledge.1992.

36- Zarif- Moradian N, Zanjanizadeh H. Qualitive study of women’s decision making in regard with casmatic surgeries based on G.T. Journal of Social Problems of Iran, 2016, 7(1): 179-202. doi: 10.22059/ijsp.2016.60200.