Background and objective.

Adjuvant human disease (AHD) by injection of modeling substances is a relatively recent yet complex disease with a high impact on mortality, health of patients and their quality of life. Disease perception is considered an influential factor for patients to seek help and prevent disease evolution to detrimental outcomes.

The objective of this study is to assess how patients with AHD by injection of illicit cosmetic biopolymers perceive their illness and how the disease process impacts their quality of life.

Methods.

Descriptive cross-sectional study using the Brief IPQ Questionnaire which included female patients with biopolymer injection. Inclusion criteria were patients older than 18 years with illicit cosmetic biopolymer injections; patients with complete surgical resection of the biomaterial were excluded.

Results.

A total of 441 females with a mean age of 35 years responded to the survey. A significant association between poor illness perception, quality of life deterioration, and illicit cosmetic biopolymer injection was observed.

Conclusions.

Our study suggests that AHD by injection of illicit cosmetic biopolymers has a high impact on the patient's quality of life. The illegal use of these materials is a practice that carries not only repercussions on quality of life but is considered to have life-threatening risks and lethal consequences.

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