Easy facial analysis using the facial golden mask

J Craniofac Surg. 2007 May;18(3):643-9. doi: 10.1097/scs.0b013e3180305304.

Abstract

For over 2000 years, many artists and scientists have tried to understand or quantify the form of the perfect, ideal, or most beautiful face both in art and in vivo (life). A mathematical relationship has been consistently and repeatedly reported to be present in beautiful things. This particular relationship is the golden ratio. It is a mathematical ratio of 1.618:1 that seems to appear recurrently in beautiful things in nature as well as in other things that are seen as beautiful. Dr. Marquardt made the facial golden mask that contains and includes all of the one-dimensional and two-dimensional geometric golden elements formed from the golden ratio. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of the golden facial mask. In 40 cases, the authors applied the facial golden mask to preoperative and postoperative photographs and scored each photograph on a 1 to 5 scale from the perspective of their personal aesthetic views. The score was lower when the facial deformity was severe, whereas it was higher when the face was attractive. Compared with the average scores of facial mask applied photographs and nonapplied photographs using a nonparametric test, statistical significance was not reached (P > 0.05). This implies that the facial golden mask may be used as an analytical tool. The facial golden mask is easy to apply, inexpensive, and relatively objective. Therefore, the authors introduce it as a useful facial analysis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Cephalometry / methods*
  • Chin / surgery
  • Enophthalmos / surgery
  • Esthetics*
  • Face / anatomy & histology*
  • Face / surgery
  • Facial Injuries / surgery
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mathematics
  • Middle Aged
  • Orbit / injuries
  • Orbit / surgery
  • Photography
  • Plastic Surgery Procedures
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Zygoma / surgery