In an era where social media and celebrity influence have heightened the demand for fuller, “pouty” lips, a study published in the August issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), indicates that a natural-looking and harmonious lip appearance is regarded as the most attractive.
Eye-tracking research reveals that observers tend to spend more time focusing on lips that are rated as less attractive, suggesting that increased attention does not necessarily correlate with perceived beauty. This research, conducted by Dr. Sebastian Cotofana, MD, PhD, of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and his colleagues, posits that “visual attention, based on the results of this study, is not reflective of the beauty in the image assessed; rather, it is often the opposite.”
“Perceived Beauty Aligns with the ‘Internal Standard’ Effortlessly”
The researchers began their study with a stock photograph of a young woman and subsequently created a series of digitally altered images that represented various lip proportions (the ratio of the upper lip to the lower lip) and volumes. A panel of observers, primarily composed of volunteers without medical or aesthetic backgrounds, along with several plastic surgeons and dermatologists, evaluated the images for attractiveness. Additionally, eye-tracking technology was employed to determine which areas of the model’s face the raters focused on and the duration of their gaze on each area.
In subjective assessments, a lip proportion of 1:1.6 (upper lip to lower lip) was deemed the most attractive, receiving an average score of 4.21 out of a possible 5. This 1:1.6 ratio is widely recognized as the “golden ratio” for aesthetically pleasing lips. In contrast, an image featuring a fuller lower lip (1:2 ratio) was rated as less attractive, with an average score of 2.16 out of 5.
Regarding lip volume, the image depicting the model’s “non-augmented, natural volume” received the highest attractiveness rating, averaging 4.56. Conversely, the image showcasing lips enlarged to 130% of their natural volume garnered an average rating of 1.56. The preference for a more natural appearance “confirms previous investigations and current trends in aesthetic medicine,” according to Dr. Cotofana and his coauthors.
In the eye-tracking analysis, raters spent less time observing the lips rated as most attractive—those with a 1:1.6 ratio and 100% natural lip volume—while dedicating more time to images featuring digitally altered lips.
This raises the question: why do observers allocate more attention to features they find less attractive? It may indicate a potential discrepancy between the observed image and the rater’s “internal standard” of beauty. Dr. Cotofana explains, “Visual stimuli that align with the internal, socially influenced standard of beauty require less cognitive effort to be perceived. Conversely, visual stimuli that do not conform to this internal standard necessitate more processing time, as evidenced by involuntary eye movements captured through eye tracking.”
Consequently, these findings challenge the assumption that viewers will focus more on the attractive elements of an image. The researchers assert, “Rather, it may reflect the cognitive processing of the observers: less attractive content captures attention more rapidly but requires additional time for processing.”
These findings may have significant implications for understanding aesthetic trends and behaviors, particularly in the context of the current era characterized by selfies and social media, which drive requests for cosmetic plastic surgery and non-invasive procedures, including lip enhancement via dermal fillers.
While these results may appear surprising, they align with contemporary trends in aesthetic medicine and surgery, which emphasize achieving a more natural outcome devoid of overt signs of surgical intervention. Dr. Cotofana and his coauthors conclude, “It can now be posited that a ‘beautiful’ and ‘aesthetically pleasing’ result would fulfill such desired criteria, allowing the patient to be perceived by those around them with less cognitive effort. The perceived beauty aligns with the ‘internal standard’ effortlessly.”
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery® is published by Wolters Kluwer.
For further reading, please refer to “In Search of the Most Attractive Lip Proportions and Lip Volume: An Eye Tracking- and Survey-Based Investigation.”
Article Reference: “In Search of the Most Attractive Lip Proportions and Lip Volume: An Eye Tracking- and Survey-Based Investigation” (doi: 10.1097/PRS.0000000000009361)
About Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
For over 75 years, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery® has served as a consistently excellent reference for specialists utilizing plastic surgery techniques or collaborating with plastic surgeons. As the official journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, it provides subscribers with timely reports on the latest techniques and developments across all areas of plastic and reconstructive surgery, including breast reconstruction, experimental studies, maxillofacial reconstruction, hand and microsurgery, burn repair, and cosmetic surgery, as well as updates on medico-legal issues.
About ASPS
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) is the largest organization of board-certified plastic surgeons globally, representing over 11,000 physician members. Established in 1931, the society is recognized as a leading authority and information source on cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery, comprising physicians certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
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