The shape of your face provides not only clues to your childhood, but also may also redefine the phrase “Pretty is as pretty does,” at least going as far as skin deep. Researchers from the University of Edinburgh suggest that it is possible to learn much about an individual’s childhood by looking at the symmetry of their face, and that the knowledge gained speaks volumes about attitude. Details of the study were recently published in the journal Economics and Human Biology.

According to the study, people having asymmetric faces were more likely to have experienced a deprived childhood, while those with symmetrical facial features had a greater likelihood of being more attractive, healthier, and more self-sufficient, but also tended to be selfish and less likely to cooperate with, and seek help from, others.

Facial symmetry is also believed to heavily influence a person’s perception of aesthetic beauty and physical attractiveness. This lends strong support to the age-old adage that beauty is only skin deep.

The researchers used fifteen different facial features in their analysis of 292 people who were all age 83 years, and who were also a part of a study that has followed participants throughout their entire lives, known as the Lothian Birth Cohort 1921. Features examined included positioning of the eyes, nose, mouth and ears, and the facial symmetry of participants was then compared to information regarding childhood social status such as occupations of parents, the number of people in homes, and whether homes had an indoor or outdoor restroom.

The study revealed that facial features are etched by the experiences of early childhood in regards to such aspects of upbringing as nutrition, illness, exposure to cigarette smoke and pollution, and more.

According to Professor Ian Deary from the department of psychology at the university’s center of cognitive aging, “Symmetry in the face is thought to be a marker of what is called developmental stability - the body’s ability to withstand environmental stressors and not be knocked off its developmental path.” He went on to explain, “We wondered whether facial symmetry would faintly record either the stressors in early life, which we thought might be especially important, or the total accumulated effects of stressors. The results indicated that it is deprivation in early life that leaves some impression on the face.”

However, no lasting marks were made in faces by changes in socioeconomic status in later life. Study co-author Professor Tim Bates, said, “A small link from parental status to facial symmetry doesn’t mean people are trapped by their circumstances. Far from it - as shown by the high levels of mobility in society, not just people like Gordon Ramsay, but to lesser degrees by millions of people.”

The findings of the analysis appear to explain why symmetrical faces are deemed attractive, while those that are asymmetrical may subconsciously flag a person as being less desirable as a mate, due to stress factors in early life making them more vulnerable to illness.

The results of the study indicate that facial symmetry could be used in combination with health markers such as blood pressure to help identify people at increased risk of illness.

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by Drucilla Dyess