Jenny, a plastic surgery addict

When we first met 28-year-old Jenny , she'd undergone 26 plastic surgeries. During the show, Jenny realized what everyone watching saw so clearly: She needed to get help for body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), a psychiatric problem that causes people to be preoccupied with imagined or very slight physical defects. What she didn't realize was that her story inspired others to come forward to talk about BDD.
Taryn, a BDD sufferer

Like Jenny, 24-year-old Taryn suffers from BDD. "When I look in the mirror," she says, "I see somebody who is non-human. I've had times when I've actually felt physically ill because I can't understand how a person could look like this, how God could create somebody that looks like this."
Taryn, a BDD sufferer

Fearful of peoples' stares, Taryn says her BDD makes it hard for her to leave her house. Being on The Oprah Winfrey Show today is a huge step for her. Taryn says BDD has cost her many things—a productive life, relationships and, at moments, her sense of sanity. "To hate yourself, to hate who you are—it's difficult beyond anything I can explain," she says. "Many days I would cry myself to sleep because all I wanted was to not wake up in the morning."
Dr. Katharine Phillips, a BDD expert

Dr. Katharine Phillips is the world's leading expert on body dysmorphic disorder. She's written what many call the bible of BDD, The Broken Mirror. "BDD is a serious psychiatric illness," Dr. Phillips says. "It's not vanity. And it can be absolutely tormenting."

"People with BDD see themselves differently from the way everyone else sees them," Dr. Phillips adds. And, as Jenny's ongoing struggle shows, surgery cannot cure BDD.
Jesse, a BDD sufferer

Jesse shed tears of recognition when he saw Jenny on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Despite the fact that everyone else sees a handsome young man, Jesse looks in the mirror and sees a face so gruesomely disfigured that it is not even human.
Jesse's parents Paula and Steve

Jesse's parents Paula and Steve say their son's illness is crippling. "It took me a long time to even partially understand," Steve says. Jesse has lost two jobs because of his disorder, spends hours and hours each day in the bathroom and relies on his parents to drive him because he finds the rearview mirror too distracting to safely drive himself. "It's heartbreaking," Paula says.
Dr. Katharine Phillips and Jesse's parents

Dr. Phillips says that BDD is one of the most misunderstood psychiatric illnesses to people who do not suffer from it. For instance, you think your daughter or son is attractive, so why are they living in such pain?

"Most people with BDD don't want to be unusually beautiful. Most people just want to look normal, and acceptable," Dr. Phillips says. "They want to blend in and not feel deviant in some way. It's so difficult for people to understand this illness. Family members try to talk to the person out of their concern…'You're beautiful.' But that doesn't work. You need the right psychiatric treatment to get better. This can be a devastating illness, but the good news is that most people get better with the right treatment."
Jenny had 26 plastic surgeries

Jenny says that after she appeared on the show, she'd watch herself with TiVo over and over—she didn't realize the depth of her problem.

"I didn't realize it was as extreme [her plastic surgeries and BDD] as it really was, nor did I realize it was that extreme for different people in different forms," Jenny says. "I try to occupy my time in other ways and stay really busy doing important things. I try to stay away from the mirror when I'm not feeling good about myself. I try not to obsess about it so much, I see a psychiatrist, and take medication that helps. I feel like I'm getting better."
Jenny at the plastic surgeon's office

It's been 18 months since Jenny had any plastic surgery procedures. But just a week before this show, Jenny says she couldn't fight her demons anymore. She decided to get a series of Botox treatments and shots in her nose to reduce scar tissue—bringing the total number of plastic surgeries she's undergone to 28.

A major concern of Jenny's is her nose. Jenny already has trouble breathing through her nose because of previous surgeries. What Jenny didn't expect was for her doctor to tell her that she would no longer be able to receive plastic surgery on her nose—there would be too great of a risk of her nose collapsing. Jenny broke down crying at the news. Now, she is trying to face the music.

"I can continue to get a series of shots that will reduce the scar tissue," Jenny says. "But knowing that I can't get another nose job was the end of the line for me. This is it. I have to decide, which I have, to live with the nose that I have on my face, as it is right now, forever."

Despite being 28 years old and having 28 plastic surgeries, Jenny believes her case of BDD is not as serious as Taryn's or Jesse's.

"Their situation is clearly very worse than mine, and very different than mine. … To hear their stories, [how they're not able to] function, was another level from where I am. I think I'm in a different situation. I recognize it, I'm not in denial. I'm getting help for it. "
Dr. Katharine Phillips

"It's important to realize that BDD varies in severity," Dr. Phillips says. "Jenny functions pretty well—but you're struggling. You probably aren't functioning up to your potential. At the more severe end of the spectrum, BDD can destroy every aspect of someone's life."
Bobbi Brown

Celebrity makeup artist Bobbi Brown has strong convictions about our culture's obsession with perfection.

"I know I'm going to lose some friends out there or customers for talking about this, but I'd rather be honest and help people," Bobbi says. "I just don't get what's happening. All women do is feel bad about the way they look. Society is really pressuring women to look young. I think the older women get, it's such a mistake because if you're doing a plastic surgery to try to look younger, it doesn't work. You just look like you've had plastic surgery."

Bobbi believes it's time we stop the game of comparison before it takes over our lives.

"Women look at images in magazines," she says. "Covers of magazines are paintings! It's a work of art—hairdressers, makeup artists, stylists, and forget about the little surgeries or the big surgeries they've had. It's not realistic. I think American women have to break the cycle immediately. Stop looking at what's out there. If you are constantly comparing yourself to people around you—trust me—there are people that are better looking than you, taller, skinnier, richer, nicer, more talented. Stop! It's not important. It's really about yourself."