[Analysis of the facial profile in art and medicine]

The different schools of proportion theory throughout the various epochs of art history are reviewed. Our basic knowledge of proportion theory is attributed, to Vitruvius. Also to be mentioned are Leonardo da Vinci's and Dürer's works, which played a prominent role in the development of proportion theory from the Middle Ages until the late Renaissance. Measurement of the face in medicine, which adopts anthropological nomenclature, is comprised of angular measurements using circle sectors and planar measurements. Today, the medial section, first introduced in 1944 as a concept in facial surgery, is a guideline in the planning and assessment of a face. It should be said, however, that these methods of measurement should only be used as guidelines in conjunction with consideration of the particular circumstances, the surgical possibilities, and retention of the patient's individuality.