Are neoclassical canons valid for southern Chinese faces?
Yasas S N Jayaratne1, Curtis K Deutsch, Colman P J McGrath
1Discipline of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong.
Plos One
|January 4, 2013
Summary
Neoclassical canons are rarely applicable to Southern Chinese faces, with orbitonasal canons showing the most frequent use. Gender differences were observed in facial canon variants, suggesting these canons are unsuitable for craniofacial surgery.
Area of Science:
- Aesthetics
- Anthropometry
- Craniofacial Surgery
Background:
- Neoclassical canons, originating from Renaissance art, are historically used as aesthetic guidelines in facial morphology assessment.
- The continued clinical application of these canons warrants investigation into their relevance in diverse populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the applicability of neoclassical canons to Southern Chinese facial morphology.
- To investigate gender-specific differences in the application of these canons and their variants.
Main Methods:
- Utilized 3-D photographs of 103 young adults (51 males, 52 females) without facial dysmorphology.
- Performed standard anthropometric measurements on 3-D images to assess four neoclassical canons and their variants.
- Quantified the validity and applicability of each canon and its variations.
Main Results:
- Neoclassical canons demonstrated low applicability in the studied Southern Chinese sample; facial three-section and orbital canons were not applicable.
- The orbitonasal canon was the most applicable, observed in 19% of cases.
- Significant sexual dimorphism was noted in the prevalence of facial three-section and orbitonasal canon variants.
Conclusions:
- Rigorous quantitative analysis indicates that neoclassical canons are not applicable to the Southern Chinese faces studied.
- These findings suggest that neoclassical canons should not serve as aesthetic benchmarks for craniofacial surgical interventions.
- Further research may be needed to establish culturally relevant aesthetic guidelines for facial morphology.
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