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consider what he believed were the ideal proportions of the human body and face. Vitruvius divided the face into horizontal thirds that are equal in size and volume; a concept taken up by Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man, a practice which is still commonplace in today’s aesthetics analysis and treatment planning.8 Finally, another commonly used facial proportions concept is the neoclassical canon which divides the face vertically into fifths, with the ocular width, intra-canthal distance, and nasal width all measuring one-fifth.9 The general attractiveness of both sexes is traditionally thought to be linked to conformity to the aforementioned ratios, symmetry, youthfulness, as well as ‘averageness’ – all features which are thought to convey genetic stability and be a superficial sign of health, and therefore Mr Daniel Ezra and Mr Mohammad Dehabadi desirability in a mate.10 This aspect of male explore the attractiveness of men and what to aesthetics is not too dissimilar to female consider when treating a male aesthetic patient aesthetics, and many practitioners will be well versed in the creation of more symmetry Men currently represent a small, but growing proportion of or youthful appearance for their patients. aesthetic patients. Between 1997 and 2014, there was a 273% However, a reductionist approach to male beauty is not universally increase in the number of cosmetic procedures performed on men, acknowledged, and it is argued that beauty cannot be broken with neurotoxin and dermal fillers being the most common.1 In 2016, down into measurements and ratios. Nevertheless, there are some 1.3 million aesthetic procedures were performed on men in the US, features that are different between genders and which are important representing 8% of all aesthetic procedures performed.2 In Mr Ezra’s considerations in male aesthetics. own practice specialising in periocular aesthetics, he sees many male Men and women have the same facial musculature, but men have patients who comprise 30% of his database. larger muscle mass, often leading to more prominent dynamic facial Despite this increasing demand, limited resources are available to lines as they age.11 The typical male upper face has a flat, straight help practitioners better understand male aesthetic ideals, as well as brow lacking the arch seen in the lateral third of the female eyebrow.12 the best ways to deliver results for these patients in practice. Additionally, the male brow is positioned low along the supraorbital ridge, with a mild brow ptosis considered to give an impression of Male attractiveness power and leadership, whereas a more severe brow ptosis is seen In common with many other species, humans demonstrate significant primarily as a sign of anger.13 In the mid-face and cheek region, men sexual dimorphisms, including differences in facial anatomy, and have less superficial fat than women, giving rise to a relatively flat midtherefore aesthetic ideals between the sexes. The standards of face and less anterior cheek projection, and generally deeper wrinkles beauty vary widely according to cultures, as well as over time, making as they age.14 objective definitions of beauty somewhat illusory. Male attractiveness though, additionally depends on displaying strong Despite this, there have always been efforts to define beauty in signs of gender dimorphism. Dimorphic features which define the male a reductionist manner by using measurements and proportions. face include a broad forehead, prominent brow, broad squared chin, This approach was developed in ancient times, as far back as the and a prominent jawline.15 From an evolutionary perspective, a male Ancient Egyptian civilisation where there is evidence of ‘ideal facial with a strong jaw, chin, and brow is at a relative selective advantage – proportions’ being used in the depictions of the human face.3 these facial skeletal features are thought to provide better protection to A limestone bust of Queen Nefertiti from 1350BC was carved using their eyes and neck during hunting or fighting off a foe or beast.16 grids of equal-sized squares for symmetry, whereas Phidias, a fifth As much as trends, fashions, and cultures may vary over time, one century BC Greek sculptor based his creations on ratios demonstrated could argue that the human primitive amygdala may subliminally by his ‘golden rectangles’.4 These so called ‘divine proportions’ have continue to identify these features as inherently attractive.16 been incorporated into aesthetic models which divide the face into It is no accident that actors depicting prototypic masculine roles such distinct facial units, and research has shown that ‘attractive’ male and as James Bond, or superheroes such as Batman or Superman, always female faces appear to have facial proportions closer to these divine score highly on the aforementioned male dimorphic features. There values compared to ‘non-attractive’ faces.5,6,7 are also more objective studies which demonstrate that while we may Vitruvius, the Roman architect from 75BC, was widely known for have evolved beyond our hunter-gatherer lifestyles, such dimorphic promoting a reductionist approach to what he described as ideal male features still confer a selective advantage in the modern world. buildings. Friezes, columns and capitals were all carefully described For example, male cadets at West Point Military Academy in the US as ideal ratios of proportions. Vitruvius extended this approach to were found to achieve higher military rank if they possessed dominant
Defining Male Beauty
Reproduced from Aesthetics | Volume 8/Issue 7 - June 2021
