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Cited by 245Nasal Surgery and Airway StudiesOrthodontics and Dentofacial OrthopedicsEvolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior

Geography of the nose: a morphometric study

Farkas, Leslie G., Kolar, John C., Munro, Ian R.·1986·Aesthetic Plastic Surgery
DOI 10.1007/bf01575292
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Abstract

The noses of 34 attractive young North American Caucasian women were analyzed quantitatively, based on 19 nasal measurements (6 single and 7 paired linear measurements, 3 angles, and 3 inclinations) and 15 craniofacial measurements (10 linear measurements and 5 inclinations) taken directly from the face of the women. The relationship between the nasal measurements was studied in 16 proportion indices and the relationship between the nasal and the other craniofacial measurements in 13 interareal indices. The findings were also compared with those in 21 women with below-average faces. Two types of facial harmony disruption were identified: disharmony, a normal index with a visually apparent failure of proportionality, and disproportion, an index value outside of the normal range. The percentage of disharmonies and disproportions was significantly higher in the group of 21 women with below-average faces. The study revealed a wide variety of "ideal" noses. Only a small portion of the measurements (12%) and proportion indices (7%) were at the mean value. At least two-thirds of the interareal proportion indices were located in the mean +/- 1 standard deviation portion of the normal range. Only about one-fifth of the interareal indices were disharmonious and 2.8% disproportionate. The disproportions were more areal in the attractive faces and more interareal in the below-average faces. The greatest disproportion in the attractive face was the moderately short columella in relation to the tip protrusion and in the below-average face the long nasal bridge related to the upper-lip height. Disproportions were associated with combinations of normal and abnormal measurements, or with two normal measurements of unequal quality, which resulted in a slightly smaller disfigurement. Analysis of ethnic and racial differences showed the soft nose as the main feature of the most characteristic differences. The study revealed that the key to restoration of facial harmony is the renewal of the uniformity of proportion index qualities by elimination disharmonies and/or disproportionate relationships.

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Crossref · 10.1007/bf01575292

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  • The distance between the nasal alare is significantly larger in individuals of West African, South Asian, and East Asian ancestry compared to persons with European ancestry.

    “For example, the distance between the nasal alare (wings of the nose) are significantly larger in individuals of West African, South Asian, and East Asian ancestry as compared to persons with European ancestry [1].”

    From Investigating the case of human nose shape and climate adaptation (2017) · cites this paper as [1]

  • The nasal index varies significantly among populations.

    “The nasal index (width/height of the nasal aperture of the skull) is also known to vary significantly among populations [1,2].”

    From Investigating the case of human nose shape and climate adaptation (2017) · cites this paper as [1]

  • There is substantial nose shape variation among human populations, in both the external morphology of the nose and the underlying cranial morphology.

    “We know there is substantial nose shape variation among human populations, in both the external morphology of the nose as well as the underlying cranial morphology [1,2,9].”

    From Investigating the case of human nose shape and climate adaptation (2017) · cites this paper as [1]

  • The seven landmarks used for linear distances have been defined previously.

    “These landmarks have been defined previously [1,26] and their approximate positions are shown in Fig 1.”

    From Investigating the case of human nose shape and climate adaptation (2017) · cites this paper as [1]

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Authors
Farkas, L. G., Kolar, J. C., & Munro, I. R.
Affiliations
Hospital for Sick Children (CA)
Venue
Aesthetic Plastic Surgery
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
1986-12
Volume
10
Issue
1
Pages
191-223
ISSN
  • 0364-216X (ISSN-L)
  • 1432-5241
DOI
10.1007/bf01575292
OpenAlex
W2092290764
Cited by
245
References
101
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 15 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 10
FWCI
3.43
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
Locations
  • Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Nasal Surgery and Airway Studies
  • Health Sciences › Dentistry › Orthodontics › Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior
Keywords
nasal morphology, facial proportions, facial harmony, craniofacial measurements, facial attractiveness, columella length, nasal bridge, upper lip height, ethnic differences, white women, facial disfigurement
MeSH terms
Adult, Anthropometry, Ethnicity, Facial Asymmetry, Female, Humans, Male, North America, Nose, Rhinoplasty, Racial Groups

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