Beauty is in the eye of biology

© Dmitriy Shironosov – 123RF.com

Cape Town-based aesthetic and general practitioner, Dr Joseph Huskisson, says, "It's time that we stopped trying to change our looks to suit the accepted Western norm of beauty and instead focus on enhancing what nature has given us."

Beyond the obvious differences in skin colour, there are differences in skin texture and as a result, differences in terms of how these skin types respond to ageing and exposure to the elements. The actual structure of the face also differs, with a variety of international studies concluding that there are over 50 documented skull shapes, and massive variation in orbital, nasal and oral structure.

Caucasian people tend to have oval-shaped faces with high cheek bones and narrow prominent chins. African people have more rounded faces with broader noses and prominent lips and those of Asian descent who have more flattened facial structure and less prominent chins, further characterised by higher eyebrows with fuller upper eyelids that result in the more slanted eye shape.

Although Huskisson is starting to see a slight shift in terms of acceptance of the different facial structures, due in part to the increased visibility of models such as Alek Wek and Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai, he often finds himself faced with patients striving towards a beauty ideal that is removed from their cultural identity.

"I believe that the best results are achieved not when we introduce features that the patient might feel are lacking, but when we enhance natural features. In this way, we can improve overall appearance without altering ethnic traits, those small identifiers which often define us as individuals.

This is why he is a proponent of facial fillers, such as the Juvéderm range from Allergan South Africa, which provides a non-surgical and minimally-invasive solution to patients who want to soften unappealing features or enhance appealing ones, resulting in subtle change for a more natural appearance. The range includes products specifically created to smooth out fine lines and wrinkles and provides maximum results with minimal fill and thus less swelling.

"Nowadays our ethnicity is becoming less and less important, particularly as the global village has decreased distance between us and increased mixing between different cultures. For me, individual beauty counts. Gone are the days when we all wanted to look alike, it's time that we all start to embrace our individuality."