Anthropometric Periocular Soft Tissue Analysis From Preadolescence to Young Adulthood: Photogrammetric Measurements

The periocular region has a central role in the prediction of ethnicity, understanding emotional expression, age, and sex. The aim of this study was to determine the sex-related growth changes in the periocular region of Turkish preadolescents, adolescents, and young adults. The study included a total of 234 individuals (preadolescents: 34 females and 40 males; adolescents: 40 females, 40 males, and young adults: 40 males and 40 females). A total of 7 periocular parameters (3 bilateral, 3 unilateral linear, and 1 angular measurement) were analyzed statistically to determine sex-related differences. The palpebral fissure and canthal indexes were also calculated. Of the 14 periocular measurements, 9 were found to be sexually dimorphic in certain age groups ( P < 0.05). Right-left palpebral fissure width and left palpebral fissure height were significantly different between young adult males and females ( P = 0.018, P = 0.013, and P = 0.027, respectively). A significant sexual dimorphism was observed for outercanthal distance and canthal index in 3 age groups ( P < 0.05). The data collected in this study may serve as a sex-dependent database source for the Turkish population during normal growth from preadolescence to young adulthood. The present study results would be useful for planning and designing aesthetic and post-traumatic surgical interventions in the periocular region as well as personal identification in this population.