Through Whose Eyes?: Lessons From Freud, Jung, and Muhak for Plastic Surgeons

The perception of facial appearance is shaped not only by objective anatomy but also by the observer's psychological and philosophical perspective. This editorial explores how the concepts of projection proposed by Freud, the broader understanding of projection and the Self developed by Jung, and a traditional saying attributed to the Korean Zen master Muhak offer complementary insights into aesthetic perception. Although arising from different intellectual traditions, these perspectives suggest that observers inevitably bring their own experiences, expectations, and states of mind to the interpretation of a face. Recognizing these influences may help plastic surgeons better understand patient expectations, body image, and the therapeutic relationship. Before asking how a face should be changed, surgeons may first ask through whose eyes that face is being seen.