I’m not easily shocked, and strange obsessions rarely surprise me.  But a story I read recently made my jaw drop.

The Human Barbie, a 51-year-old Englishwoman named Sarah Burge, is according to her own admission “addicted to surgery” and has undergone over thirty  procedures to achieve her molded-plastic appearance.  But, wait, there’s more.   She stuffed her daughter Poppy’s Christmas stocking with a £7,000 gift certificate for liposuction.  She also gave the girl a £6,000 coupon for breast augmentation surgery to be cashed in when Poppy turns sixteen.  Ms. Burge says she’s just like any concerned parent, planning ahead and investing in her child’s future.  Poppy has already begged for the surgery so she can have “big boobs like Mummy’s.”  She’ll have to wait awhile, though.  The little girl just turned seven.

In addition to her surgery addiction, Burge also seems to have an insatiable appetite for publicity, negative though it may be.  A Google search on her turns up a book she published and countless talk show appearances over the years.  Audiences and hosts have reviled her for so unapologetically focusing on her larger than life physical attributes and for sexualizing her prepubescent child.  They think she embodies everything that’s wrong with our culture.

I agree.   I also think her fascination with plastic surgery suggests she has a serious mental health problem.  Without personally evaluating her, I can only speculate.  But Burge’s obsessive devotion to surgery makes me suspect Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD).

BDD is characterized by an excessive concern about the appearance of specific body parts.   Some common features people with BDD focus on are:  skin (acne, wrinkles), hair (too much or too little), nose, teeth, stomach, and breasts.  They often spend hours inspecting themselves in mirrors and other reflective surfaces (or avoid mirrors altogether), searching the internet for solutions to the problem, concealing the concerning body part, and grooming.

An estimated 6%-20% of people seeking plastic surgery have BDD, and most individuals with BDD undergo multiple cosmetic procedures.   Yet more than 80% either feel no different afterwards or feel even worse.  Often they’re dissatisfied with the outcome of the surgery and become even more obsessed with the surgically altered body part; or, they may shift their attention to a new feature.  Clearly, then, surgery isn’t the solution.

Whether or not a perceived physical defect is objectively real is beside the point.  Individuals with BDD often say they were teased about their appearance as kids.  But lots of people endure cruel teasing and don’t develop the syndrome.   Burge was the victim of domestic violence, and the “before” pictures on her website are indeed disturbing.  Her disfiguring injuries may have contributed to her surgery addiction.  But she had already undergone several cosmetic procedures before the beatings.

Most, if not all, psychiatric disorders originate from a complex mix of factors.  BDD is no exception.  As researchers are fond of saying, “Genetics loads the gun, and environment pulls the trigger.”  In other words, someone who has the neurobiological predisposition for a psychological problem will likely develop it given the proper circumstances.

With their genetic heritage and family environment, the Burge girls don’t stand a chance. Two older daughters, 17 and 27, have already gone under the knife.  Young Poppy isn’t far behind.

BDD is a devasting illness.  A shockingly high percentage (80%) of people with BDD have contemplated suicide.  The Human Barbie doesn’t fit the typical profile because she claims to like the way she looks and seems to relish the spotlight, while most BDD sufferers will go to great lengths to avoid attracting attention.  But the behavior she’s modeling for her daughters is certainly abnormal and destructive, however you characterize it.  By pushing plastic surgery, she’s passing on a dangerous legacy.