With Australians spending in excess of over $1 billion per year on cosmetic procedures, there’s no doubt our preoccupation with looking our best is alive and well. But why is it so many women want to change what they see when they look in the mirror, and what are the features most women like or dislike about their faces?
In a study published in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal, a group of Turkish researchers set out to better understand a woman’s motivation for changing their facial appearance, and uncovered some interesting trends.
They found that, for women in their 20s, the nose and skin were the main cause of concern. Moving into their 30s and 40s, and a woman’s preoccupation shifts to the skin and perioribital region (or the area around the eyes). The eye region remains a key area of concern well into the 50s, when the jawline also becomes a primary focal point.
‘We wanted to better understand why patients desire to alter their facial features. What is it that leads them to seek so-called perfection?’ explained Dr Billur Sezgin, who led the study.
‘We found that many women are not at peace with what they see in the mirror. When women look in the mirror, they primarily focus on the parts of their face they most dislike or desire to change. Not surprisingly, this dissatisfaction is the strongest motivator for seeking facial aesthetic treatments.’
During the study women presenting to a cosmetic surgery outpatient clinic were asked which part of their face they focused on most when looking in the mirror, what they liked and disliked about their own face, and whether they wanted to change any feature. Interestingly, the study highlighted our negative tendencies, with women focusing more on what they dislike about their appearance than what they like. It also revealed that women tend to hold the features of a woman in her 20s and 30s in high regard.
According to the Aesthetic Surgery Journal, this study is of particular interest because it demonstrates most women tend to compare their appearance to that of younger women. ‘This has strong implications for patient selection and satisfaction, reminding us that we need to both understand why patients are seeking treatment and ensure that they have a realistic understanding of aesthetic outcomes.’
What about you? What do you like and dislike about your own appearance, and has this changed as you age?
