Hebrew University study finds one in five women at risk of cosmetic‑procedure addiction

A cross‑sectional study of 1,614 women aged 25‑71, conducted by researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and published in the Journal of Health Psychology, identified a pattern of compulsive use of aesthetic procedures. About 20 % of participants who had undergone cosmetic treatments reached a moderate‑to‑severe risk of dependence over their lifetime, 15 % reported active addiction‑like symptoms in the past year, and roughly 9 % showed moderate to severe problematic use overall.

The analysis linked higher addiction risk to low body‑image self‑esteem and problematic use of social‑media platforms that promote beauty content. While the study cannot prove causation, the authors warn that the growing global prevalence of aesthetic procedures warrants greater clinical attention and public awareness.

Researchers Vera Skvirsky, Uri Lifshin, Dvora Shmulewitz and Mario Mikulincer adapted diagnostic criteria for substance‑use disorders to assess cosmetic‑procedure dependence, highlighting the need for further investigation into the psychological drivers of repeated cosmetic interventions.