This Article  • Full text  • PDF  • Reply to article  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Topic Collections  • Facial Plastic Surgery  • Cosmetic Surgery/ Procedures  • Nasal Surgery  • Alert me on articles by topic

Paul Chatrath, FRCS; Jose De Cordova, MD; S. A. Reza Nouraei, MBBChir; Jahangir Ahmed, MRCS; Hesham A. Saleh, FRCS

Arch Facial Plast Surg. 2007;9(3):184-187.

Objectives  To determine the incidence and nature of facial asymmetry in patients referred for consideration of aesthetic rhinoplasty and to assess whether objective anthropometric facial measurements correlate with subjective perceptions of asymmetry.

Design  Two independent observers measured facial features, including midline to medial and lateral canthi, tragus, ala, and oral commissure distances, in 234 prerhinoplasty surgical photographs. The photographs were rated by 10 independent observers for a global "first impression" of facial symmetry, and the relationship between anthropometric measurement and subjective perception of facial symmetry was explored with logistic regression.

Results  Objectively, 97% of patients had significant degrees of facial asymmetry, with the midline to ala distances showing the most variations and the midline to oral commissures showing the least variations. Subjectively, 38% of results were perceived as asymmetrical, with the degree of midline to lateral alar margin asymmetry being an independent predictor of the perception of facial asymmetry on binary logistic regression (P<.003).

Conclusions  A significant correlation was found between the degree of objective facial asymmetry, particularly in anthropometric nasal measurements, and the subjective perception of a face as asymmetrical in patients requesting aesthetic rhinoplasty. This relationship may be a factor in patients who request rhinoplasty and should be explored in this patient group.

Author Affiliations: Department of Otolaryngology, Charing Cross Hospital, London, England.

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Has the Pendulum Swung Too Far?: Trends in the Teaching of Endonasal Rhinoplasty
Dayan and Kanodia
Arch Facial Plast Surg 2009;11:414-416.
FULL TEXT  

Effect of Midfacial Asymmetry on Nasal Axis Deviation: Indications for Use of the Subalar Graft
Yao et al.
Arch Facial Plast Surg 2009;11:157-164.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Impact of Rhinoplasty on Objective Measurement and Psychophysical Appreciation of Facial Symmetry
Nouraei et al.
Arch Facial Plast Surg 2009;11:198-202.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT