Katy spends hours each day in front of the mirror, focused on
her nose. She applies and reapplies makeup several times before
leaving the house, and checks herself in her car’s mirror again
before driving to her destination. She is never satisfied that
her makeup hides her “ugly” nose. Throughout the day, she feels
compelled to look in the mirror again and again, and has
recurring thoughts that people are staring at her “hideous
nose.” She has even consulted with several plastic surgeons,
only to be told there is nothing cosmetically wrong. She is
currently on the search for yet another plastic surgeon who
might take her seriously and agree to perform a rhinoplasty. Her
family and friends are unable to see the “flaws” Katy claims are
there, and she’s missed work and social events because of her
unhappiness with her nose’s appearance. Most people have certain
parts of their appearance they are not happy with, but those
with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), like Katy, take it to an
extreme. People with BDD spend