Why looks matter: beauty is in the (genetic) make-up

26 September 2014

Project 365, number 337-031213 Made Up photo by Pete on FlickrBy Plastic Surgeon Dr Dirk Kremer

One thing I have noticed after working within the aesthetic industry for over fifteen years now is that it is easy to see that looks really do matter to most people: most of us make choices that will allow us to look good in society in order to improve our confidence and feel better about ourselves – this can be through choosing our clothes with care, or opting for plastic surgery to improve the appearance of certain aspects of our bodies, from nose and jaw to tummy and thighs, with procedures like facelifts which allow you to look younger and make wrinkles disappear. Whilst this need to look our best all the time could be the result of living in a modern society that is rife with social media, weight-shaming and fashion scrutiny, there is evidence to suggest that our desire to look physically attractive is actually a genetic trait developed through millennia of evolution. After all, we can appreciate the beauty in natural phenomena – snowflakes, sunsets and nature – so why not in each other?;

The scientific breakdown of beauty and attractiveness

The question of what exactly makes a face ‘attractive’ has been the subject of scientific study for years and the simplest answer is that we are drawn to beauty as, historically, attractive features have been associated with good health and good genetics that can be passed down to our offspring and ensure their survival. From an evolutionary point of view, men and women are attracted to the features of the opposite sex that signal health, maturity and fertility: women tend to prefer men with a more masculine face and a strong, square jaw, whereas men generally prefer women with more feminine features, such as a smaller nose, fuller lips and a narrow chin.

The difference in facial features between men and women is known as sexual dimorphism, but according to a recent publication by Australian plastic surgeon Dr Bryan Mendelson, this trait is only part of what makes a face attractive to the opposite sex. Sexual dimorphism works alongside other attributes of averageness, symmetry and balance to create a complete image of an attractive face. Balance combines all three of these attributes together; a face is only considered attractive when it works in relation to the underlying bone structure and other facial features that cannot easily be cosmetically altered.

It appears that beauty is not entirely in the eyes of the beholder, as the old adage goes, but rather in the eyes of our genetic construction. Indeed, plastic surgery procedures have been developing over centuries and adapting to the aesthetic desires of the day ever since. These innate, biological preferences of men and women provide an explanation for why some aesthetic procedures are more popular than others.

Achieving those naturally attractive qualities

Cosmetic surgery is able to alter the facial appearance of men and women in order to better reflect this apparent natural preference and at Harley Street Aesthetics, we offer a number of facial procedures that target the areas that feature strongly in the ‘most attractive’ lists. Our lip filler treatment, for example, uses substances like collagen and hyaluronic acid which are naturally present in the body to emphasise the lip and smooth over the appearance of wrinkles around the mouth, whilst our rhinoplasty procedure can fix most nose problems that may cause confidence issues in both men and women. We also offer facial implants that are particularly popular among men looking for a more prominent, masculine chin.

Of course, beauty is more than just skin deep and opting for plastic surgery solely to aesthetically recreate the image of the ‘attractive’ face should not be condoned. Both historically and across different cultures, excesses of body modification in the pursuit of the beauty ideal can produce extreme and painful results; until it was officially banned in 1911, Chinese women tightly bound their feet in a tradition that was practiced to symbolise their femininity whilst in Korea, to this day women have the option of undergoing facial contouring surgery in order to change their face shape in a procedure that may involve breaking or shaving the jaw bone. I believe in using cosmetic surgery as a way of enhancing your original features to create an aesthetic appearance, and the best procedures achieve this by working with the natural symmetry and balance found within your facial features, thus working within the realm of ‘attractiveness’.

I will only recommend that you undergo plastic surgery for the right reasons. If you've been considering plastic surgery, contact the team at Harley Street Aesthetics to book a consultation and I will be happy to discuss any procedures and treatments you may want in order to let your natural beauty shine through.

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