What is the golden ratio and why is it important in facial aesthetics?
Have you ever wondered why some people are perceived to be more attractive?
There is a science behind what makes a face ‘beautiful’ and it’s called the Golden Ratio. Whilst we all have our own preferences over what we find attractive, the science indicates that proportionality and symmetry have a big role to play in defining perceived beauty. In facial aesthetics, we use this science as part of the consultation process with patients, creating treatment plans that bring balance and proportion to the facial features.
Who would be on your list of the world’s most beautiful celebrities? George Clooney? Marilyn Monroe? Beyoncé? Of course, there’s a lot more than just facial features that go into making someone beautiful. As Roald Dahl wrote in The Twits, “A person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly. You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a double chin and stick-out teeth, but if you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.”
I firmly believe that, and I am not advocating a shallow definition of beauty. That said, science tells us that there is a formula for calculating how aesthetically pleasing a face or other objects are. Harley Street Plastic Surgeon, Dr Julian de Silva, recently used this scientific formula to assess the facial features of several celebrities and declared Jodie Comer and Regé-Jean Page as the ‘most beautiful people in the world according to science.’
What is the Golden Ratio?
The history of the Golden Ratio dates to Ancient Greece where the concept of the Golden Ratio, or the Divine Proportion or Phi as it’s also known was first discussed. It says that if a line is divided into two parts in a ratio of 1:1.618, it creates the ideal proportion. This calculation exists in nature from tiny atoms to enormous celestial bodies, even the spiral of a snail’s shell has the perfect proportions of the golden ratio. It has been used by artists throughout the centuries from Da Vinci and Dalí to Mondrian in their great masterpieces.
One theory is that symmetry allows our brains to process a face or object quicker and so it becomes more appealing. When applied to facial aesthetics treatments, the formula can help us bring balance to a face in a way that helps the patient feel more confident and improve their sense of self-esteem.
Here’s the maths bit! The length of a balanced face is 1.618 x the width. Next, the face is divided into three segments - from the forehead hairline to a spot between the eyes, from between the eyes to the bottom of the nose, and from the bottom of the nose to the bottom of the chin. If the three segments are all of equal measurements, the face is considered to be balanced and in proportion. Finally, statisticians measure other facial features to determine symmetry and proportion. On a ‘perfect’ face, the length of an ear is equal to the length of the nose, and the width of an eye is equal to the distance between the eyes.
How we use the Golden Ratio in facial aesthetics treatments
An experienced and qualified Facial Aesthetics Clinician will use the Golden Ratio formula as part of the process for assessing what treatment options will help a patient achieve the results they want and achieve a naturally balanced result. The skill is knowing when and how to apply the formula with discretion rather than as a blanket rule.
The triangle of youth
A youthful face, which is visually balanced has three distinct features:
- A sharp jawline
- High cheekbones
- Full cheeks
We refer to this as the ‘triangle of youth’. That means if you were to draw a triangle with its base up and superimpose it on the image of a youthful face, two of its points will meet the cheekbones, and the third will finish at the chin. I can’t stress enough that this is a guide and not a rule. It is often the slight imbalances that actually make our features stand out as attractive. A skilled aesthetician will use the Golden Ratio to steer a treatment plan to restore balance and create a more youthful appearance.
How ageing affects the Triangle of Youth
Ageing causes our facial features to lose volume and, even those, who once enjoyed perfect proportions will find they diminish with age. Our cheeks naturally lose volume, our jowls begin to sag, and the triangle starts to invert with the widest points ending up being the corners of the jaw and the third point starting at the bridge of the nose.
Restoring balance using non-surgical facial aesthetic treatments
Non-surgical treatments are widely and safely used to help restore volume and balance to facial features. This helps give a more youthful appearance and, importantly, helps to improve confidence and self-esteem (when you feel good, it shines through!).
At REclinic I regularly treat patients with anti-wrinkle injections to help raise the eyebrows as well as add height to the upper lip.
In addition, I use dermal fillers to add volume to key areas, such as the cheeks and temples, the chin and jawline as well as the lips where it has been lost over time.
Other treatments, such as Profhilo, Nucleofill and Secret RF are treatments known as bio-stimulators. These encourage the body’s own natural production of collagen and elastin to add volume, lift and hydration.
My aim is to always sculpt your face so you look like you but fresher. During the consultation process, I make a thorough assessment of a patient’s whole face so that I create a holistic treatment plan and not just address individual areas.
Whilst proportionality and symmetry are important to achieve balance, it’s important to remember that beauty is also subjective and very much in the eye of the beholder. There’s no real accounting for why we find some people more attractive than others and it’s more than skin deep. Being happy in your own skin is without a doubt what’s important.
If you’d like to find out more about which facial aesthetics treatments might be right for you, why not BOOK a consultation?
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