Consumer decision‐making in cosmetic surgery: An interdisciplinary review identifying key challenges and implications for marketing theory

Abstract

AbstractConsumer interest in cosmetic surgery has grown tremendously in recent years. However, despite the long‐lasting implications of cosmetic surgery decisions on consumer well‐being, existing insights on these decisions remain limited and scattered across various fields. Through an interdisciplinary bibliometric review, we identify that previous research has primarily focused on five aspects shaping consumers' decisions in cosmetic surgery: (1) differing perspectives, (2) social drivers, (3) individual drivers, (4) online media content, and (5) influences relevant to labiaplasty. These investigations stem from the fields of psychology, sociology, communication, and healthcare and aim to understand especially consumer intentions to undergo surgery at the pre‐consumption stage. In this research, we delineate how marketing researchers can advance insights along the entire consumer surgery journey (i.e., pre‐consumption, consumption, and post‐consumption stage) through a better understanding of (i) the phenomenon and its different treatments, (ii) the role of identity, (iii) stakeholder interactions, and (iv) how social media and technology shape cosmetic surgery decisions. Finally, we highlight how studying these topics can contribute to marketing theory through novel insights on the self and identity, the body's meaning in consumption, and self‐enhancement practices.