Perception of different facial characteristics by Saudis

The aim of the present study was to identify the most attractive lip prominence and lower face height in different facial
profiles based on the perception of Saudi Arabian laypersons living in the western region of Saudi Arabia. Lateral photographs of 10 Saudi adult subjects with well proportioned faces were presented to a panel of orthodontists and general dentists to choose the most attractive profiles. Photographs were taken using a standardized method for all subjects and were edited and converted into negatives. A male and a female subject were selected as the supernormal sample. Four sets of normal profiles were generated for each of the supernormal subjects by manipulating lip prominence, chin position and lower face height and then presented randomly to lay people to rank each set of pictures in an order of attractiveness and to fill out a simple questionnaire. The percentages of the most acceptable facial features were calculated, ranked and compared using the chi square test (p<0.05). The most attractive lip prominence was the average (39.2%) in the orthognathic facial type, the protrusive (39.3%) in the prognathic facial type and the retrusive (56.5%) in the retrognathic facial type. The most attractive lower face height was the shortest (39.3%) in female. In male, however, the three lower face heights were almost the same with no clear  preference. In conclusion, Saudis seem to prefer average but not protrusive lips in orthognathic faces, retrusive lips in the retrognathic faces and protrusive lips in prognathic faces. Minor changes in the lower face height seem less 15observable by lay people.