Contemporary Preferences in Lip Position of Internet Users

Abstract

The primary aim of this study was to assess the preferences of Caucasian, adult internet users regarding lip protrusion and to assess if there were generational differences in those preferences. The secondary aim of this study was to gauge the relative influence various mass media had on facial esthetic preferences as well as the overall importance of facial esthetics for the different generations and to present a novel new method for presenting facial renditions in orthodontic research.

A sample of 650 adult internet users who identified as “Caucasian / Middle Eastern” were asked to rank the relative attractiveness of a series of modified 3-D facial depictions. This sample had equal ratios of female: male and equal samplings from four generational groups

(Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X and Baby Boomers). One male and one female Caucasian individual were used as models, and the faces were adjusted to untreated norms as a baseline. The models’ lips were then altered to be more retrusive or protrusive in 1 mm increments thereby creating 7 versions of each face ranging from -7 mm to -1 mm lower lip to E-line (LLEL) for the male subject and -5 mm to +1 mm lower lip to E-line for the female subject. Those surveyed were asked to rank the seven male and female iterations. Respondents were also asked to indicate the level influence of social media, television and print media had on their facial esthetic preferences as well as the level of importance they placed on facial esthetics in general; this was done via a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) which ranged from 0-100 with not important to very important as ends of the spectrum.

Respondents as a whole ranked the more protrusive profiles more favorably than the retrusive profile; these results were significant (p<0.05) and true for both female and male facial scans. There were no significant differences between generational group rankings except for the most retrusive female face (LLEL: -5 mm) where Gen Z viewed the profile as more favorable than Gen X or Baby Boomers, and Millennials viewed the profile as more favorable than Gen X. Social media had a statistically significant higher influence on facial esthetics for the younger generations; the level of influence decreased as the generation got older. The younger generations valued facial esthetics overall more than the older groups.

Protrusive lips were more favored by all respondents, regardless of age group. For both the male and female model, the most favored lip positions by those surveyed were more protrusive than untreated Caucasian norms. Age did not appear to play a significant role in judgements on the attractiveness of varying degrees of lip protrusion. Social media plays a larger role in shaping the facial preferences of younger generations and these younger groups also appear to value facial esthetics more than older ones.