The attractive lip: A photomorphometric analysis

SummaryBackgroundThroughout literature, there are different parameters defining the ideal shape of the lip and lower third of the face. This study was conducted to clarify what it is that makes lips attractive – and whether there are gender-related differences of an attractive lip and lower third of the face.Patients and methodsPictures of the lip and chin region of 176 patients were photographed in a standardised way and evaluated by 250 voluntary judges through an internet presentation by means of an analogue Likert scaling system.ResultsWe found a significant higher ratio of upper vermillion height/mouth-nose distance in frontal-view images of attractive compared to unattractive female (p < 0.001) and male (p < 0.05) perioral regions. Furthermore, the ratio of upper vermillion height/chin-nose distance was significantly higher in attractive than in unattractive female (p < 0.005) and male (p < 0.05) lip and chin regions. The nasolabial angle was significantly sharper in attractive compared to unattractive female perioral regions (p < 0.001). Moreover, attractive female lip and chin regions showed a wider mentolabial angle compared to unattractive female lip and chin regions (p < 0.05). Comparing men and women, we found that attractive female perioral regions showed a higher ratio of lower vermillion height/chin-mouth distance (p < 0.05) and lower vermillion height/chin-nose distance than attractive male perioral regions (p < 0.05).ConclusionWe were able to define certain parameters of the lip and lower third of the face that seem to add to the attractivity of female and male individuals and prove that there are gender-related differences in form and shape of an attractive lower third of the face.