We all have an image of what our appearance looks like. Our body image is influenced by a variety of factors that include our own senses, culture, and even our current moods. For these reasons, there is usually some variability with how much we like or dislike aspects of our appearance. 

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Body Dysmorphic Disorder is characterised by an excessive preoccupation with how specific parts of our body look or function. The specific features of concern may be viewed as ugly, damaged, or not functioning correctly. This preoccupation results in significant distress when having thoughts about the specific feature. As a result of the distress, people with Body Dsymorphic Disorder may engage in repetitive behaviours (such as hiding the feature(s), surgery or other medical procedures, or evaluating the feature in mirrors repeatedly) or avoiding activities or other people. Research estimates that Body Dysmorphic Disorder may effect at least 2% of the world population.