Back in the distant fifteenth century, Leonardo da Vinci himself wrote drawings that are able to display the ideal proportions of the face and the symmetry of the face of a person and the body, including which to this day are the standard.
But, in these proportions there is one moment, namely, in wildlife there are simply no absolutely ideal symmetrical faces, in any object there will be a drop of asymmetry.
For a long time, people have been looking for an opportunity to measure beauty, or to describe it using the proportions of geometry and mathematical formulas, thereby creating the possibility of recreating ideal objects.
This is exactly how in ancient Greece the harmony and orderliness that is displayed in nature was personified in the images of goddesses and gods, in the form of statues.
What does symmetry represent?
The answer is proportionality, harmony and harmony of human and natural bodies - this is what the Greek sculptors thought.
That is why the concepts of beauty and symmetry are identical. Enough memories of a strictly symmetrical object of architectural monuments that repeat the patterns of standard ornaments, and the excellent harmony of vases of the ancient Greek era.
The fact of symmetry of the face and torso
In humans, it was popular with sculptors and artists of that era, and was used by them to give spirituality and expressiveness to the resulting works.
Face of Venus de Milo
A fairly striking example is the face of Venus de Milo. People who pay attention to the symmetry of all objects criticized the asymmetry of the forms of the ideal of female beauty, suggesting that the face of Miloskaya would be even more beautiful if it had an asymmetry.
But if you look at composite shots, you can immediately understand that this is not so.
Harmony
Such a concept as symmetry is mainly associated with harmony.
Symmetry came from such a word of the ancient Greek era as "proportion", which means a little proportional and harmonious in an object. To a person they use such a thing as mirror symmetry.
Such symmetry is considered the main source of aesthetic admiration for the rather well-shaped body of a man or woman.
Functionality
It is this symmetry of the face that has its share of functionality, and not just beauty. So, the symmetrical arrangement of the eyes makes it possible to look at the world correctly, that is, the visual image becomes ideal, the limbs of a symmetrical appearance can make it very easy for a person to move in space, and a flat nasal septum can give a person even breathing.
But the symmetry of all life on Earth is not formed with mathematical precision, because there is no uniformity of function and development.
beauty standards
Throughout life, beauty standards have changed and are changing, but the parameters and principles that are able to determine the ratios and proportions of the human appearance, and the attractiveness of the face have been preserved.
In order for the human face to be harmonious, its different parts must be related in a certain proportion, with the help of which everything leads to a general balance.
No part of the human face functions or exists in isolation from others. Any transformation of any particular part of the human face will be able to have a real or apparent effect on the perception of other parts of the face in general.
Of course, all proportions of the face have an approximate value for its aesthetics due to subsequent reasons.
Proportionality rules
It is in this way that the fact of the asymmetry of the human face, which is expressed by the unequal left and right halves, one of which, as a rule, is higher and wider, and the other is lower, is currently considered generally recognized.
Symmetry and proportionality are important components of a person's external beauty, and in some cases, indicators of health. But not everyone knows how to evaluate the proportions and symmetry of their face and body. This is exactly what will be discussed.
Can a long nose not spoil a person's appearance at all? Definitely yes. If the nose is in proportion to his face.
To assess the proportions of your face, you need to go to the mirror and measure three distances:
from the border of hair growth on the forehead to the bridge of the nose
from bridge of nose to upper lip
from upper lip to chin.
If they are equal, you are a happy owner of a proportional face.
If not, then there is a disproportion, which is not at all a reason for despondency. Firstly, this may be a certain attractiveness and originality of the face, and secondly, the proportions can be changed.
An increase or decrease in the first distance can be achieved with the help of hairstyles, as well as giving a certain shape to the eyebrows. The second distance is almost always corrected by changing the length of the nose. A properly selected lipstick or a more durable measure - lip augmentation - can visually affect the third distance.
Facial symmetry is also easy to assess. It is necessary to pay attention to the location and shape of paired anatomical structures: eyebrows, eyes, ears, nasolabial folds.
If they are located on the same level and have the same shape, then the face is symmetrical. Facial symmetry is very important not only from an aesthetic point of view. Sudden violation of it is an important diagnostic sign in a number of serious neurological diseases.
It is easiest to judge the proportions of the body by its volumes: the volume of the chest, waist and hips.
In a proportionately folded man, chest volume predominates. Geometrically, the ideal of a male figure is an isosceles triangle turned upside down.
In a proportional female figure, the volumes of the chest and hips are approximately equal to each other. And the waist should be 1/3 less than these two volumes. Suffice it to recall the well-known standard: 90 cm -60 cm -90 cm. However, the ratio of 120cm-80cm-120cm is no less proportional. The geometric expression of the ideal is the shape of an hourglass.
Visually the desired proportions are achieved by clothing, corset underwear, certain physical exercises. However, there are problem areas that are quite difficult to correct, for example, the notorious "breeches" - the upper part of the lateral surfaces of the thighs. This is where liposuction can help.
The symmetry of the body is also evaluated by paired formations. Collarbones, nipples, shoulder blades, anterior superior iliac spines, gluteal folds should be at the same level.
It is worth knowing that a visible violation of the symmetry of the body is always a reason for a thorough examination of the musculoskeletal system.
In general, when evaluating your appearance according to any parameter, whether it be proportionality, symmetry, or something else, you do not need to be overly picky.
Certain features, imperfections, disproportions - this is what distinguishes us from each other, and therefore makes us unique.
The establishment of facial asymmetry has become a kind of sensation, since asymmetry is rarely evident. It turned out that people differ in the degree of their asymmetry as much as in facial features. This was confirmed not only by measurements, but also by a comparison of portraits made up of photographs of the right and left halves (one of them must be turned upside down when printing) with an ordinary portrait of a person taken exactly in front. You get completely different faces. 
There is no perfect symmetry in the world. It is a mistake to consider facial symmetry an indispensable condition for its beauty. The mixture of hereditary traits cannot but be reflected in the child's face. To assess the beauty of a face, a combination of features and a slight asymmetry are important, which, incidentally, is inherent in the faces of all people and does not at all detract from the merits of the portrait. Even in the sculptures of Venus de Milo and Apollo Belvedere, their faces do not have complete symmetry. With good reason, we can say that there is not a single person with indisputable strict symmetry of the right and left halves. This is probably why Claudius Galen wrote that "real beauty is expressed in the perfection of purpose and that the first goal of all parts is the expediency of structure." Undoubtedly, P.F. Lesgaft was right when he wrote that “with the harmonious development of all muscles and muscle groups, the face would lose its definite expression. The individuality of facial features is acquired through the frequent use of the corresponding muscles.
Michelle Monaghan
So, it should be recognized as a fact the asymmetry of the face, i.e., the unequalness of its right and left halves: one of them, as a rule, is wider, the other is narrower, one is higher, the other is lower. The reason for the asymmetry is in most cases the unevenness of the structural elements of the skull bones. On the face of a person, the increase in asymmetry is due to the specificity of facial expressions (physiological asymmetry).
Naomi Watts
There are scientific works in which scientists identify the following patterns of facial asymmetry. If one half of the face is higher, then it is also narrower. In this case, the eyebrow is located higher than on the opposite, wider half of the face, the palpebral fissure is larger. The eye as a whole appears to be turned upwards. The left half of the face is usually higher than the right. Many authors still believe that the right half of the face is larger than the left, protrudes more sharply, and expresses masculinity. The left half is generally softer, reflecting the features of femininity. 
Kate Bosworth
Facial asymmetry has long been observed as a reflection of general body asymmetry. Attempts were made to restore the face in the portrait from the exact half of the photograph and its mirror image. The right and left halves gave different images. They did not match the original. Mimic asymmetry, although superimposed on the disproportions of the right and left halves of the facial skull, also has its own characteristics. It has been established that the nervous regulation of the right mimic muscles is richer, the movements of the head and eyes to the right are reproduced more readily. Even the squinting of the right eye is more habitual.
The first thing that every person automatically pays attention to when meeting or communicating with other people is their faces. At the same time, that slight asymmetry of the face that is present in each of us is not even noticed, that is, a slight difference in the shapes, distances and sizes of one half from the other. Asymmetry is an individual feature, an external characteristic of each person. Absolutely symmetrical faces do not exist in nature. The asymmetry of the oval of the face and, in general, its individual sections, distinguishes even identical twins with its indicators.
It can be physiological and pathological in nature and professionally is of interest to specialists in many specialties - in neurology, cosmetology and plastic surgery, dentistry and maxillofacial surgery, psychology, anthropology and forensic medical examination. What could be the reasons and what to do with a strong asymmetry of the face?
Causes of Facial Asymmetry
A certain percentage of people turn to cosmetologists or plastic surgeons precisely because of the asymmetrical arrangement of facial elements. However, most often the disproportion of the latter is determined by a cosmetologist when examining for the correction of any other defects or by a plastic surgeon who is planning, for example, a volume plastic surgery.
The shape and symmetry of all points depends on the structure of the bones and cartilages of the facial skull, the degree of development, volume and tone of the facial and masticatory muscles, passing nerves and vessels, the volume and thickness of the subcutaneous fatty tissue, etc.
Of the many formations of the facial skull, including bone and cartilage structures, the most important cosmetic and aesthetic formation is the nose. Its shapes and sizes not only determine aesthetics, but are also the main ones in cases of asymmetry formation. The latter, if you look closely, can be expressed in irregularities or differences in the contours of the eyebrows, in different shapes of the corners of the mouth and the depth of the nasolabial folds, in different sizes and shapes of the auricles, the position of the wings of the nose, etc.
Video: Asymmetry of the face and skull. Distortion of the face, crooked face and skull. Osteopathic treatment
Facial asymmetry correction is not always necessary. The lack of ideal symmetry not only of the face, but also of other parts of the skeleton and body as a whole is due to individual anatomical and morphological features of development, both congenital in nature and various causes that arise throughout life. Visually, the violation of symmetry is almost not noticeable and occurs in almost all people. The deviation of proportions, which is no more than 2-3 mm or 3-5 degrees, is considered a physiological norm.
The approach to deciding whether and how to remove facial asymmetry is significantly influenced by the diagnosis of possible causes. Due to the nature of the causes (namely, pathological deviations from conditionally correct proportions), all asymmetric conditions are combined into three large groups:
- congenital
- acquired
- combined
Congenital asymmetry of the face
It is caused by anomalies associated with a genetic predisposition or disorders of a different nature that have arisen in the process of intrauterine development of the fetus. These include mainly:
- anomalies in the development of the bones of the facial skull;
- underdevelopment of the lower jaw;
- incorrect formation of the temporomandibular joint;
- defects in the development of connective tissue or mimic muscles;
- unilateral defect of the sternocleidomastoid muscle with the development of torticollis;
- strabismus.
Acquired
If facial asymmetry appeared after birth, then this defect refers to an acquired pathology. The main causes of the acquired disproportion are the consequences of:
- traumatic injuries of bone structures and inflammatory processes in the area of the mandibular joints;
- pathological processes in chewing and mimic muscles;
- improper development of the dentition, malocclusion and, in general, any abnormal condition of the dentoalveolar system;
- neurological diseases.
In this case, neurological pathology is the main one and is represented by the most numerous problems, leading to mimic violations of proportions. This block mainly includes:
- neuropathy of the facial nerve, or Bell's palsy (the most common cause of facial asymmetry - up to 25 cases per 100,000 population);
- traumatic injuries, including surgical, and other lesions of the facial nerve;
- post-paralytic mimic contracture with increased tone of the muscles of the same name on the opposite side;
- synkinesis of a pathological nature (motor-motor and motor-vegetative) associated with neuropathies and characterized by muscle spasm of facial muscles, dyskinesia of facial muscles; elimination of facial asymmetry in synkinesis is relatively simple; it can be easily corrected by introducing microdoses of botulinum toxin into the lacrimal gland or the circular muscle of the eye;
- pain syndromes in any areas of the face;
- asymmetric myasthenic syndrome.
Neurology especially deeply considers the causes of disproportion. Her conclusions are necessarily taken into account in cases where a plastic surgeon and even a cosmetologist need to choose the treatment of facial asymmetry.
Synkinesia of the facial muscles
The relation of neurology to the causes of imbalances
Mimic asymmetry, first of all, from the point of view of neurology, is determined by the lack of symmetry in the cerebral hemispheres. Each of the cerebral hemispheres regulates sensations (sensors) and motility of the corresponding halves of the body in different ways. At the same time, the perception of facial expressions by one person also depends on the state of interaction between the hemispheres of the brain in a particular person.
Neurology as a science considers symmetry issues as its subjective perception by the observer. In other words, the conclusion of one person about imbalances may be erroneous - another observer, due to the peculiarities of the interaction between the hemispheres of his brain, may come to the opposite conclusion. Therefore, in neurology, the following types of asymmetry are distinguished, which are also accepted in cosmetology and plastic surgery in the final decision on how to correct facial asymmetry:
Static or morphological type
This type of symmetry breaking is characterized by the presence of differences in the state of rest between individual elements in size, structure, shape and proportions. The reasons for these differences are the individual developmental features, the pathology of the bones of the facial skull, the pathology of the masticatory and mimic muscles, and the consequences of diseases and traumatic injuries.
Types of asymmetry
A Static or morphological
B Dynamic or functional
Dynamic or functional type
Consisting in non-synchronous contractions of the facial muscles and manifested during facial expressions. So, for example, a disproportion that is absent at rest, or a moderate disproportion at rest, respectively, appears or is significantly enhanced by smiling or stretching the lips in the form of a tube. The dynamic form of asymmetry is associated with congenital or acquired pathology of facial muscles, residual effects of damage to the facial nerve of the central (impaired cerebral circulation) or peripheral nature in the form of Bell's palsy. In this case, the severity of imbalances depends on the degree of damage (neuropathy) of the facial nerve.
Facial asymmetry correction
The therapy of the pathology under consideration is based on the diagnosis of the cause, the establishment of the type and degree of the pathological condition, and the appointment of treatment for the corresponding pathology in combination with the use of neurotrophic methods.
Since the most common cause is neuropathy of the facial nerve, the main principles of treatment are:
- The use of appropriate specific (neurological) traditional drug therapy.
- Injections of botulinum toxin preparations on the “healthy” and / or affected side.
- The use of stabilized hyaluronic acid fillers.
- Surgical correction or thread lifting.
In addition, in almost all cases, gymnastics against facial asymmetry and electrical stimulation procedures can be applied (in the absence of contraindications to their implementation).
Bolulinum toxin injections
In order to carry out botulinum therapy, briefly described above, various preparations of botulinum toxin "A", in particular "", "" and, especially, "" can be used. With paralysis and paresis, correction by these means is carried out on a healthy (conditionally) half of the face, since it is here that an increased muscle tone is formed. In the case of synkinesis, muscle contractures and hyperkinesis, injections are carried out mainly in dependent muscles. Very often, such a correctly performed dose-dependent therapy makes it possible to restore facial symmetry within 4-6 months without surgery.
Surgical treatment of facial asymmetry
Video about correcting facial asymmetry with a botulinum toxin-based device
Dermal gels
At the next (after botulinum therapy) stage, contouring and correction of soft tissue volumes are carried out through the application. These drugs as part of complex therapy (surgical treatment and botulinum therapy) make it possible to achieve high functional and aesthetic results in patients with long-term and severe forms of mimic muscle paralysis.
Preparations of stabilized hyaluronic acid allow not only to eliminate the disproportion of areas and restore the aesthetic state, but also have a pronounced therapeutic effect, due to the improvement of microcirculation and trophic processes in tissues.
Optimum experts in neurology consider plastic hypoallergenic, devoid of cellular and gene toxicity, fillers based on hyaluronic acid of a new generation with a special three-dimensional structure of the line "" of the Swiss pharmaceutical concern "Hyal Intertrade SA". Contouring is carried out using classical filler injection techniques - linear, fan-shaped, multipuncture, "mesh".
Neuropathy of the facial nerve on the right
And the initial state
The picture after botulinum therapy (Lantox) and injection plasty (Bellcontour)
From condition to
D after volumetric correction
Surgical treatment and thread lifting
In cases where the asymmetry is characterized by significant severity (more than 5 cm in total), surgical correction is required, since conservative methods of treatment are not able to provide satisfactory results, not only in functional terms, but also in aesthetic terms.
At the same time, in case of paresis, local injuries of the terminal sections or the first branch of the facial nerve, in the presence of certain concomitant diseases or the patient himself refuses surgical treatment, correction by means of a minimally invasive (lift) is possible. It is usually carried out in combination with botulinum therapy and correction after surgery with stabilized hyaluronic acid fillers or during surgery with autofat (). The combination of these methods can significantly improve the patient's condition, significantly improve the quality of his life and facilitate his social adaptation.
Thread lift correction
Exercises for facial asymmetry
They can be different, but the main ones are:
- Slowly and forcefully frown your brows.
- Close your eyes as much as possible, then quickly relax your eyelids.
- Raise your eyebrows as much as possible while lifting the upper eyelid.
- Strongly stretch forward the lips folded into a tube while pronouncing the sound "I".
- Alternately smile with the corners of your lips.
- To imitate the maximum breath with the wings of the nose pressed with the fingers.
- Slowly move the lower jaw alternately to the right and left sides, holding it in extreme positions for 2 seconds.
- Move the tongue in a circle along the inside of the cheeks and lips in front of the teeth.
During the exercises, it is desirable to carry out special loads on the problematic half. The number of repetitions of each exercise on the problem side should be at least 20, on the healthy side - at least 10.
The adequacy of the correction completely depends on the assessment of the degree of imbalances, the diagnosis of their causes and the choice of the correct therapy algorithm.
Candidate of Medical Sciences, plastic surgeon ""
Back in the 15th century, Leonardo da Vinci created drawings that depict the "divine" proportions of the human face and body, which are still the standard (Fig. 1). However, these proportions do not take into account the fact that absolutely symmetrical objects do not exist in living nature: in any of them there is always a unity of symmetry and asymmetry.
| Rice. one. | |
Throughout history, people have tried to "measure" beauty, describe it using mathematical formulas or geometric proportions, thereby making it possible to recreate it. Thus, in ancient Greece, the order and harmony observed in nature was personified in the shining images of gods and goddesses, immortalized in beautiful statues.
According to Greek sculptors, symmetry characterizes the harmony, proportionality, harmony of natural bodies and the human body. Therefore, the concepts of symmetry and beauty are identical. Suffice it to recall the strictly symmetrical construction of architectural monuments, regularly repeating patterns of traditional ornaments, the amazing harmony of Greek vases (Fig. 2).
The fact of the asymmetry of the face and body of a person was known to the artists and sculptors of the ancient world and was used by them to give expressiveness and spirituality to the created works.
A striking example of asymmetry is the face of Venus de Milo (Fig. 3). Supporters of symmetry criticized the asymmetry of the forms of this universally recognized standard of female beauty, believing that the face of Venus would be more beautiful if it were symmetrical. However, looking at the composite shots, we see that this is not the case.
The very concept of "symmetry" is directly related to harmony. It comes from the ancient Greek word συμμετρία (proportionality) and means something harmonious and proportional in an object. The concept of "mirror" symmetry is applicable to a person. This symmetry is the main source of our aesthetic admiration for the well-proportioned human body.
Such symmetry is not only beautiful, but also functional. So, symmetrical limbs make it easy to move in space, the location of the eyes - to create the correct visual image, a flat nasal septum provides adequate breathing. However, the symmetry of living organisms is not manifested with mathematical accuracy due to uneven development and function.
Facial symmetry and beauty standards
Over time, beauty standards have changed, but the principles and parameters that determine the ratios and proportions of the face, and, accordingly, its attractiveness, have been preserved since ancient times. In order for the face to be harmonious, its various parts must be related in a certain proportion, with the help of which an overall balance is achieved. No part of the face exists or functions in isolation from the others. Any change in any particular part of the face will have a true or apparent effect on the perception of other parts and the face as a whole.
It is natural that all proportions of the human face have only an approximate value for its aesthetics due to several reasons:
- Firstly, the proportions of the face vary depending on the age, gender, physical development of a person and are largely determined by individual structural features.
- Secondly, the assessment of proportionality becomes more complicated depending on the position of the head.
- The third difficulty lies in the asymmetry of the human face, which often manifests itself in the shape of the nose, the position of the palpebral fissures and eyebrows, and the position of the corners of the mouth. The two sides of the face do not give the same mirror image, even if the face is perceived by us as perfectly correct.
Thus, the fact of facial asymmetry, expressed by the unequal right and left halves, one of which, as a rule, is wider and higher, the other is narrower and lower, is generally recognized today.
From the photographs presented in Fig. 4, it can be seen that absolutely symmetrical faces are clearly different from the original image of a face with natural asymmetry. In our opinion, "synthetic" symmetrical faces are not so attractive, as in the original photographs, although we selected for the creation of composite portraits the faces of the actors whose appearance is rated the most highly. Moreover, it is these faces that are more pronounced symmetry than is observed in most people, but slight asymmetry only emphasizes their attractiveness.
Beauty in asymmetry?
So, is the asymmetry inherent in all of us really beautiful or not? It is quite obvious that we do not consider significant violations of symmetry in the structure of the face attractive. However, small deviations from symmetry do not introduce disharmony, but only favorably set off individuality.
Most patients who turn to a plastic surgeon do not notice the asymmetry of the proportions of their face and body. Therefore, one of the important tasks of the surgeon during the consultation is to draw the patient's attention to the features of his proportions, to describe in detail the upcoming changes as a result of the operation. Correction of facial asymmetry is greatly facilitated by the use of minimally invasive methods, such as and.
So, pronounced asymmetry is usually considered unaesthetic, and in such cases, the desire to achieve a more symmetrical appearance is quite natural and may serve as an indication for plastic surgery. However, a slight asymmetry of the face only makes it attractive and individual, and therefore you should not strive for absolute symmetry.