Cureus. 2025 Aug 18;17(8):e90364. doi: 10.7759/cureus.90364. eCollection 2025 Aug.
ABSTRACT
Over the past two decades, research on appearance anxiety has experienced a significant surge. There is an urgent need to sort out these studies to promote the integration of the discipline. This study conducted a bibliometric analysis of research related to “appearance anxiety” in the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) via a visualization tool, aiming to clarify the research hotspots and frontiers, and provide valuable information for researchers in this field. A total of 365 publications were searched. The expansion of research scale in this field coexists with the dilution of academic influence. The USA is the dominant country in this field. International collaboration urgently needs to be strengthened. The research hotspots focus on studies related to appearance anxiety and related psychological and social aspects. They are concentrated on issues related to body image and mental health among the adolescent population. The research frontiers not only delve deeper into the individual but also examine the long-term impact of appearance anxiety on an individual’s social functions, interpersonal relationships, and overall quality of life.
PMID:40970001 | PMC:PMC12441982 | DOI:10.7759/cureus.90364
