Are attractive faces healthier?

There is a long-held belief that people with more attractive or symmetrical faces tend to be healthier overall. Recent research has investigated this claim and tried to determine if there is any truth to the idea that “beauty equals health”. In this article, we will explore some quick answers to key questions around facial attractiveness and health, as well as dive deeper into studies on this topic.

Is there evidence that attractive or symmetrical faces correlate with good health?

There is some evidence from scientific research that attractive, symmetrical faces are linked to better health outcomes:

• People tend to rate faces that are more symmetrical as more attractive. Symmetry may indicate an individual has “good genes” or developed well in the womb, which are signs of health.
• Some studies have found that attractive people have lower levels of certain biological markers for disease risk, such as low-grade inflammation.
• Other research indicates people with attractive faces have stronger immune system responses to vaccines or pathogens.
• A few studies show a correlation between facial attractiveness/symmetry and cardiovascular health or reproductive health.

However, the connections found are often weak or rely on people self-reporting their own health. More research is still needed to firmly conclude facial attractiveness reflects underlying health.

What features make a face attractive?

Some key features that contribute to facial attractiveness include:

• Symmetry – Having both sides of the face balanced.
• Averageness – Having facial features that are close to “average” proportions.
• Clear, smooth skin – Skin flaws like acne or scarring are seen as less attractive.
• Facial masculinity – More “masculine” facial features like strong jaws and pronounced brows are often rated as attractive in men.
• Facial femininity – More “feminine” features like large eyes, full lips, and round cheekbones tend to be rated as attractive in women.
• Youthfulness – Babies have features we find cute. Retaining some baby-faced features like large eyes and round cheeks into adulthood is seen as attractive.

Do attractive people actually experience better physical health?

A few studies have found correlations between facial attractiveness and certain health outcomes:

• One study found women with more attractive faces had lower blood pressure and cholesterol.
• Some research indicates people rated as attractive have stronger immune responses to vaccines for hepatitis B and influenza.
• A study in adolescents found perceived facial attractiveness was associated with lower levels of the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein.

However, overall the links between attractiveness and physical health tend to be weak. Good looks don’t guarantee you’ll be in perfect health. There are also some conflicting findings – a few studies have not found a relationship between attractiveness and immune function, for example.

Are attractive people perceived as healthier?

Multiple studies show people assume attractive individuals are healthier than less attractive peers. This is known as the “beauty-is-healthy” stereotype.

• In one study, people were shown photos of men and women with varying attractiveness levels. Participants viewed more attractive individuals as healthier – even with no other information about them.
• Another experiment found that when given descriptions of hypothetical patients, people rated more attractive patients as having a better prognosis and being at lower risk of certain diseases.
• The beauty-is-healthy stereotype also means people have more positive overall impressions of attractive individuals.

So while good-looking people may not always be healthier, they are often perceived that way based on appearance alone.

Do lifestyle factors link beauty and health?

Differences in lifestyle between more and less attractive individuals may contribute to a connection between beauty and health:

• Some evidence shows people who are rated as more attractive tend to exercise more and have better diets, on average.
• One study found men with more masculine, attractive faces were more physically strong, indicating higher levels of testosterone and fitness.
• However, attractive people are also rated as drinking more alcohol, which could negatively impact health.
• Good-looking people may experience boosted self-esteem and confidence, which positively impacts health behaviors.

So while genes likely play a role, lifestyle and socioeconomic differences linked to attractiveness also affect health outcomes.

Does facial adiposity impact attractiveness and health?

Facial adiposity refers to the amount of fat in a person’s face. Research suggests facial fat impacts perceived attractiveness and correlates with health:

• People with more facial fat/fuller faces tend to be rated as less attractive, especially later in adulthood.
• Higher facial adiposity is linked to increased risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, and other cardiometabolic diseases.
• Loss of facial fat is also associated with aging, illness, or malnutrition.

So while “thin” faces are seen as more attractive, very low facial fat can signal poor health. Moderate facial adiposity may indicate a healthy balance.

Do attractive faces correlate with mental health?

The links between facial attractiveness and mental health are unclear:

• A few studies have found associations between facial asymmetry/unattractiveness and anxiety or depression.
• However, it’s debated whether mental health impacts attractiveness or vice versa.
• Mental health issues could potentially affect facial development and symmetry.
• Discrimination against those viewed as less attractive may negatively impact mental health.
• Overall more research on appearance and mental health interactions is still needed.

So while there are some indications of connections, the relationship between attractiveness and mental health remains complex and bi-directional.

Does attractiveness correlate with intelligence?

There is little compelling evidence for a link between facial attractiveness and intelligence:

• Some older studies suggested attractive children or adults were rated as more intelligent.
• However, more recent controlled studies have found no significant relationship between perceived intelligence and attractiveness.
• Some research indicates unattractive individuals are actually perceived as smarter, perhaps due to stereotypes that they compensate by working harder.
• Overall, current evidence does not support clear correlations between attractiveness and actual IQ or cognitive performance.

How might attractiveness impact social outcomes?

Attractive individuals tend to experience more positive social outcomes:

• Beautiful people are more popular, have more social capital, and are ascribed more positive personality traits.
• Attractive people tend to earn higher wages and have more upward social mobility.
• Good looks are linked to higher self-esteem and confidence earlier in life.
• However, the benefits decrease with age – older attractive adults do not necessarily have higher well-being.

So while attractiveness privileges early life outcomes, the effects diminish over time and do not guarantee social success or satisfaction.

Does facial symmetry necessarily indicate genetic fitness?

Facial symmetry is thought to represent developmental stability and good genes. But some caveats exist:

• Perfect symmetry is rare, and minor asymmetries are normal.
• Non-genetic factors during development also influence symmetry, like infections, toxins, or injuries.
• Symmetry preferences may reflect an evolved bias that is now over-generalized to minor normal asymmetries.
• Many studies use 2D photos, but faces are 3D – some asymmetries may not be visible from all angles.
• Overall, minor asymmetry alone is not necessarily cause for health concern.

So while symmetry indicates a healthy developmental environment, small asymmetries are common and not inherently problematic.

Conclusion

There is some evidence that attractive, symmetrical facial features correlate weakly with good health, but no guarantee of broader genetic fitness. While people perceive attractive individuals as healthier, the reality is nuanced. Attractiveness may boost social outcomes, but those effects also depend on age and other factors. Overall, associations between beauty and health exist, but attractive faces are not a perfect mirror of overall well-being.

References

This article was compiled using information from the following sources:

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