Symmetry of the face makes up approximately 80% of the perception of beauty. Instead of analyzing individual facial features, it might be more important to see how they all relate to the overall face.
The mathematics of facial proportion
You may or may not know that the most attractive faces are those that have a specific ratio between certain dimensions. One of the most famous ratios is the Golden Mean or Golden Ratio, and it shows up in the distance between eyes, the width of the nose as compared to the mouth, and the ratio of lip to lower face. The ratio of lip to lower face in attractive faces is generally higher than this would be in unattractive faces, because when the ratio of lip to lower face is too small the face can appear unbalanced.
The volume of the lips affects the lower third of the face and should be in proportion to the middle third (the nose area) and upper third (the forehead). Thin or uneven lips can make a person’s chin appear too large and their nose appear too small.
How enhancement treatments restore equilibrium
Over recent years lip enhancement has evolved from being all about ‘big lips’ to creating enhanced volume that complements the rest of the face, creating balance to enhance ratios. Subtlety is key and by strategically placing the volume, it can also cleverly distract from other fine lines, creating a smoother, more refined appearance to the lower face.
Another key benefit of using a hyaluronic acid based product is that the solution can be used in various ways to treat a range of issues. In addition to being used in a simple applicator tube the solution can be injected directly into troubled areas of the face. This makes it especially useful for re-defining the upper lip so that it equals a naturally fuller lower lip or to fill sunken facial features that are accentuated by a strong jaw line.
Fillers are applied primarily to 4 areas of the lip, the vermillion border, body, cupid’s bow, and mouth corners. By adding volume to these key areas, deficient volume or asymmetry can be corrected to achieve greater facial balance and aesthetics. A highly sought after procedure, lip fillers in Jacksonville use many different types to enhance the lips.
While many know cosmetic fillers for adding volume, the effects don’t stop there. Fillers can actually redefine or accentuate your lips and make your teeth appear whiter and straighter by greatly improving contrast. Moreover, enhanced lips can soften rough facial features or define a rounded face. Patients are often amazed at how changes confined to one area can result in a more balanced looking face as seen in their reflection.
Beyond volume: addressing specific imbalances
Different facial shapes require different approaches.
For a “wide” face, the bottom lip is enhanced horizontally, giving a shorter face. For a “round” face, vertical enhancement of the lips gives the illusion of increased height. But there is a third indication for lip enhancement. As a person gets older, the fat pads of the face shrink and the bone changes shape. This causes the lips to become thin and less defined. However, the upper face may be well-preserved, while the lower face appears under-filled. Fillers can create a more pleasing, younger face by enhancing the lips and re-establishing volume to the lower face.
As with the rest of the body, the face goes through changes with age. These changes can be addressed with enhancement treatments that replace lost volume and re-shape the lips to give the face a more youthful shape and impart a “youthful glow” and make the person look years younger.
The ripple effect on facial features
We all know that that a lip lift can change how we see the rest of your face, pulling the eye downwards and somehow making a larger nose look more proportionate. But we forget that lips can also counteract other harsh facial features, like a firm chin or sharp cheeks.
Interestingly, this rule works the other way around as well. So long and full that they make other facial features appear unflattering? No, I don’t mean to suggest that big lips are a bad thing. In reality, it is small lips that can make other facial features appear over-sized. Moderate size lips make a slightly larger nose appear balanced and normal while a nose of the same size appears unbalanced when paired with thinner lips.
Measuring treatment success
It’s common for people to judge the success of lip enhancement from the amount of filler required, but in fact it’s how the lips look in relation to the rest of the face that is more important.
It’s often the less obvious yet more organically felt changes that prove the most dramatic. While make-up artists and plastic surgeons study the face to work out the most flattering facial proportions, we can also study facial expressions to see how even the tiniest make-over tweaks can boost your looks.
Long-term considerations
Perceived facial symmetry is not absolute. What appears to be perfectly balanced at thirty may not be as aesthetically pleasing at fifty. Furthermore, as a patient ages, their skin and facial line and texture change shape, which in turn changes the way that someone perceives perfect proportion. This concept has become increasingly relevant as individuals continue to maintain and enhance their faces through lip augmentation and other cosmetic enhancements as part of an ongoing regimen rather than a single correction. While temporary fillers may have some disadvantages, in this context, there are definite advantages.