Body dysmorphic disorder
Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), or body dysmorphia, is a mental health condition where a person spends a lot of time worrying about flaws in their appearance. These flaws are often unnoticeable to others.
BDD affects people of any age but it is most common in teenagers and young adults and it can affect both men and women. People who have BDD often:
- Worry a lot about a specific area of their body
- Spend a lot of time comparing their looks with other people's
- Look in mirrors a lot or avoid mirrors altogether
- Go to a lot of effort to conceal flaws
- Pick at their skin to make it 'smooth'.
Find out more about BDD on the NHS website.
Support for young people
You can find lots of resources about young people's mental health in our resources for children and young people.