What is beauty, really? We can tell if someone is beautiful just by looking at them, but can we actually explain why? We may not know the exact answers but one thing is for certain –our ideals for what it means to be beautiful are ever-changing. But no matter what rules we apply, we are always attracted to features that signal youth and vitality.
Cosmetic Laser Dermatology is committed to providing the best skincare services in San Diego. Society’s beauty standards may consistently change, but our practice offering only state-of-the-art, cutting-edge treatments remains constant. As leaders in the field, we are also paving the way to the future of dermatology and the pursuit of beauty that focuses on natural-looking results.
Can Beauty Be Measured?
Our attraction to a certain face or body is said to increase if that face or body is symmetrical and in proportion. The Greeks would agree because they believed that when it comes to beauty, it can be explained with a set of mathematical rules. According to scholars, beauty can be determined through a formula that would calculate the right proportions or the “golden ratio.” Also referred to as Phi (with a constant value of 1.618), this pattern was used by early mathematicians to detect beauty in people and objects. These principles of beauty also dictated what was deemed beautiful in the fields of architecture, paintings, and music, and even adopted later on during the Italian Renaissance. Leonardo da Vinci used the golden ratio as a guide for defining symmetries in structures, including the human body.
A university study in 2009 claimed to have discovered a new golden ratio of beauty. Based on Pallet, Link, and Lee’s research, the “new golden ratio” that defines beauty is based on two measurements –vertical facial dimensions and horizontal facial dimensions –in which certain ratios between distances from the eyes to lips, hairline to chin, and pupils to width of the face would determine attractiveness.
Then, in 2012, a British contest found “Britain’s Perfect Face” and declared Florence Colgate as the winner. She was described to have the perfect face that conforms to the international code for the optimum ratio between the eyes, mouth, forehead, and chin. The face is regarded as most attractive when the distance between the pupils is just under half the width of the face from ear to ear. Specifically, scientists say that the distance between the eyes should be 46% of the whole width of the face. Colgate scored a 44% ratio. Her almost perfectly symmetrical face also contributed to her win.
Not all “beautiful” faces will have the exact ratios as Colgate’s, but most faces that are still recognized as beautiful will possess certain key facial proportions that are very close to the golden ratio.
Do you agree that the golden ratio is the critical key to determining beauty?
Beauty Throughout The Decades
Beauty’s evolution can be seen throughout the past decades that have witnessed the remarkable transformation in women’s bodies, makeup, and style:
- 1920s – The Roaring Twenties signaled a time when beautiful women had shorter hair and a straight, boyish figure.
- 1930s-1940s – During the Great Depression, women avoided the “too-skinny” silhouette and opted to embrace their curves, giving emphasis to their feminine features.
- 1950s – This was the era of the “hourglass shape.” Pin-up icon Marilyn Monroe was the epitome of beauty with her full-figure and voluptuous curves. Women, in general, were also more conscious about having flawless hair, skin, and teeth.
- 1960s – Supermodel Twiggy’s influence was apparent in women’s’ pursuit of achieving an androgynous look with a leaner shape that lacked curves. Big doe eyes, thick lashes, and a fresh, natural-looking face were also the rage.
- 1970s – Thin was in. Long hair was also on-trend, plus minimal makeup for a natural look.
- 1980s – This decade saw the rise of the strong and fit body. Having toned but not too muscular bodies was the goal. Supermodels like Cindy Crawford were popular figures. Liposuction became a popular procedure during this time too.
- 1990s – Pamela Anderson’s Baywatch look defined the new ideal body for women –slim with larger chests. And even if it was still a “hush-hush” topic back then, breast augmentation and facelift procedures were on the rise.
- Early 2000s –The influence of supermodels was at its strongest and women believed that achieving a “size 0” was the ideal body shape.
- 2010 and Today – Society has shifted towards celebrating diverse body types. Social media has contributed to this trend with the diverse types of influencers represented on various platforms. Of course, there is still pressure to look young and flawless. But with influence from celebrities like the Kardashians, more and more women are redefining their beauty goals and are becoming more open to cosmetic procedures. Beauty trends have also shifted from traditional surgeries to less invasive procedures. Not only can women use makeup to contour their faces, but they can also undergo non-surgical procedures to help them look young and beautiful, yet still natural-looking.
Cosmetic Procedures For Looking Young And Beautiful
Having a young, beautiful face and a slimmer, more toned physique can now be easily achieved in half an hour or less thanks to the multitude of advanced, innovative techniques offered by the world of cosmetic dermatology.
In our San Diego office, we offer over 50 lasers and devices and have over 100 years of combined experience to provide you with the ultimate in rejuvenation.
- Laser Treatments – Our skincare center is proud to offer laser and light therapies for the treatment of fine lines and wrinkles, sun damage and brown spots, broken blood vessels, acne scars, sagging skin, stubborn fat, and tattoo and hair removal.
- Skin Tightening: CLDerm offers state-of-the-art and FDA cleared non-invasive skin tightening devices that don’t require surgery or significant downtime. Procedures such as Ultherapy and Thermage work to rebuild collagen and elastin in your skin, returning it your a youthful firmness and tightness.
- Injectables – We use a combination of wrinkle smoothers and plumpers such as Botox, Jeuveau, Dysport, and Xeonib and dermal fillers to rejuvenate the face. This combo treatment is a great non-surgical option for patients who want to rejuvenate their appearance without undergoing a full surgical procedure, effectively addressing aging issues such as deep lines and wrinkles, loss of volume, hollow features, under-eye circles, lip borders and vertical lip lines.
- Vein treatments – With the experience and expertise of Mitchel P. Goldman M.D. and the rest of our world-class board-certified dermatologists, our practice offers safe and highly effective vein treatment options such as sclerotherapy, phlebectomy, laser therapy, and radiofrequency ablation.
- Body Contouring Procedures – We offer minimally invasive body sculpting procedures, including liposculpture, to help you get in your best shape without any downtime.
Schedule A Consultation Today
With over 100,000 satisfied patients, you can trust your skin in the hands of our team of board-certified dermatologists at Cosmetic Laser Dermatology. Learn more about our treatments by scheduling a consultation at our San Diego medical spa.
