Variation in Lip Shape and Aesthetics in the Young Female Population: A Statistical Atlas Study

Background: The distribution of lip shapes in young females and how morphological variation relates to attractiveness are poorly defined. Objectives: We hypothesized that among young female lip images generated by a statistical atlas model, those with more full lips compared with those with less full lips would be perceived as more attractive as measured by anonymous survey participants. Method: A statistical atlas of lip morphology was created using photographs of 700 women aged 18-35 years. The average lip shape was determined by coregistering and averaging images. Morphological variation was analyzed using principal component analysis. The relationship between attractiveness and observed lip morphologies was assessed using publicly distributed surveys. Results: In total, 428 survey responses were obtained. We developed a statistical model of variation of lip shape in the population and its relationship to attractiveness. The most attractive lips were significantly fuller than the average shape in the population, with greater vertical height and surface area. Conclusion: A statistical atlas can provide a visual guide to variation in lip shape in the population. The most attractive lip shapes vary significantly from the population average, lending support to procedures that increase lip height and surface area.