Once upon a time the eyes and mouth were indentified as primary focal points of attention when defining a "beautiful face". The nose, however, for all intents and purposes, has been lagely left out of the conversatoin in overall facial attractiveness — until now.
A new study using eye-tracking technology to study the relationship between nose shape, perceived attractiveness, and visual attention using eye-tracking technology, found that models with noses perceived as unattractive received significantly more visual attention on the nose and mouth.
Related: Holistic Aesthetics and the Shift Toward Facial Harmony
Published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery by researchers at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, the study is the first to quantify this effect in a non-surgical, demographically diverse population using precise gaze data alongside 3D facial mapping.
Method:
Thirty-four models (mean age, 38 years) and 31 observers (mean age, 33 years) underwent standardized 2-dimensional/3-dimensional imaging, including 17 anthropometric facial measurements. Observers viewed these images on an eye-tracker, recording fixation durations and revisit counts for the eyes, nose, and mouth.
Observers then rated facial and nasal attractiveness using a 10-point visual analog scale. Gaze metrics were analyzed in relation to attractiveness ratings and anthropometric measurements.
Findings:
Models with noses perceived as unattractive received significantly more visual attention on the nose and mouth, while models with noses perceived as attractive received more visual attention on the eyes. Nasal tip deviation and longer upper lips correlated with lower attractiveness ratings and traditional neoclassical canons and nasal width had limited impact.
Conclusion:
Noses perceived as attractive enhance facial harmony by reducing visual attention on themselves, allowing the gaze to focus on other dominant facial features, like the eyes. These findings highlight the importance of holistic facial assessments over isolated nasal evaluations during rhinoplasty consults. Future research should incorporate dynamic facial stimuli and diverse observer populations to further refine understanding of nasal aesthetic perceptions.
