The South Asian facial anthropometric profile: A systematic review

Craniofacial anatomy, as measured by facial anthropometric data, varies significantly between races. South Asia, comprised of eight countries, represents a large proportion of the global population and is the fastest-growing region of the world. This systematic review presents the facial anthropometric data collected for populations from this region.

This systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. A systematic review of the literature was conducted by an electronic search of the MEDLINE and Cochran databases, returning 1675 articles. Bibliographies of accepted articles were screened to identify further eligible studies.

A total of 12 articles were considered eligible for the systematic review. Two studies were conducted in Bangladesh, 7 in India, and 3 in Nepal. No facial anthropometric data were found for populations from Afghanistan, Bhutan, Maldives, Pakistan, or Sri Lanka. Qualitative and quantitative parameters from the 12 studies were extracted.

There is a paucity of facial anthropometric data for South Asian populations. As South Asia has a significant prevalence of craniofacial anomalies and a burgeoning cosmetic facial surgery market, it is in the interest of both the craniofacial surgeon and the South Asian patient to collect baseline facial anthropometric data for this population.