Breast Implants Linked to Triple Suicide Rate

Women with breast-enlarging implants have a suicide rate three times higher than average,  a new medical study has found. Deaths linked to mental problems, such as alcohol abuse, were also three times higher among women undergoing the increasingly popular cosmetic procedure, the Los Angeles Times reports. Suicides rose sharply after the first decade following surgery.

The report did not speculate about the cause, but one researcher theorized that women who opt for the operation have psychological problems to begin with. Earlier studies have found that up to 15% of plastic surgery patients suffer from body dysmorphic disorder, a syndrome characterized by preoccupation with minor or non-existent physical flaws and increased thoughts of suicide. (More breast implants stories.)