Facial Harmony and Balance
Kyle S. Choe, MD Facial Plastic Surgeon, Virginia Beach, VA

A truly beautiful face is a balanced one.
Facial harmony occurs when the balance of facial features and proportions create a pleasant, balanced, distinct and individual appearance.  The individual characteristics of the brow, eyes, nose, cheeks, chin, jaw and lips all contribute to facial appearance – but it is how they appear together that creates facial harmony and balance.

The Aging Nose
We are not all born with facial balance and proportion, and we all experience changes that come naturally with aging.  Consider the aging nose:  it gradually loses its shape to become droopy and fuller at the tip or pointed and witchy looking for example. As these changes occur, due to aging, the nose will look out of proportion to the rest of the face.

The Nose and Genetics or Trauma
Often, people are unhappy with the nose they were born with.  They simply don’t like it or how it looks on their face.  It may be too wide, too long, have a bump on it, look like a ski slope in the middle – or many other reasons.  It is not balanced or proportioned on your face.  Disease, injury or trauma to the nose usually leaves it misshapen and distorted looking on the face.

Rhinoplasty (nose surgery/treatments)
When the nose is not balanced or correctly proportioned on the face it can make other areas of the face and neck look out of proportion also.  An injured nose (broken) usually looks distorted and also draws attention to the chin and lips.  An aging nose that has become too large at the end (bulging and wide) also magnifies a chin that is losing its shape due to age, injury or genetics.  Whatever the situation, Rhinoplasty clearly identifies and effectively addresses the problem to correct it and create or restore harmony, balance and proportion.

Sym*me*try (noun) – Latin/Greek from syn + metron (measure) –1541

1. Balanced proportions, beauty of form arising from balanced proportions
2. The property of being symmetrical; especially corresponding in size, shape and relative position – of parts on opposite sides or a dividing line or a median place or about a center or axis.

The technique used to measure the face involves evaluating height, width and symmetry after dividing the face into equal thirds and fifths.  This approach allows for facial analysis with the goals of providing a basic conceptual framework that reinforces the established facial proportional relationships.  First facial height, width and symmetry are evaluated from a frontal view followed by a lateral view and finally evaluation of individual subunits that have been carefully divided.

Middle Third – from the top of the eye to the tip of the nose.
This is the area where you notice loss of cheek fullness while the nose begins to droop and those unwanted nasolabial folds appear.  These changes only serve to accentuate those taking place in the upper and lower face.

Lower Third – from the tip of the nose to the bottom of the chin.
The lips become thin and droopy while the chin and neck lose their shape and contour.  Marionette lines and jowls form as the muscles and fat are gradually lost or become lax.  Everything in the lower face begins to descend just as it does in the other facial areas, causing balance, harmony and symmetry to become lost and distorted.

Jay Leno is a classic example of a face that is not balanced.  His elongated chin is definitely out of proportion with his short nose.  His thirds are unequal.

Frontal View Evaluation

1. Vertical height, width and symmetry are evaluated by dividing the face into equal thirds – using the boundaries described above.
2. Width of facial structures is evaluated by dividing the face into equal fifths – with each fifth being equal to one eye width. This technique is also used to determine the appropriate width of several individual subunits.
3. Symmetry of various subunits is measured by drawing a midsagittal line. The eyes, ears, eyebrows, nose and mouth are the subunits measured by this method.

Lateral View Evaluation
This involves repeating some of the same steps used in the frontal view evaluation – but requires that the head be in an appropriate position – lined up with a horizontal line parallel to the floor or by having the eyes fixed on a point at eye level. During this evaluation vertical height, midface projection, lower face position and nose-lips-chin position are all carefully evaluated in relationship to one another.  For example the lower face is compared to the upper face and so on. The nose, lips and chin are evaluated to each other etc.

Evaluation of Individual Subunits
This portion of the exam focuses in depth on specific subunits including the forehead, eyes, eyebrows, nose, mouth, chin, neck and ears.  It involves considering the differences between male and female variations such as brow placement.  Each area is carefully evaluated noting deformities, aging issues, problems related to disease and trauma and genetic distortions.  Ethnic characteristics are considered when measuring nasal width for example.  The position of the lips, as compared to the nose and chin as well as dentition, is carefully considered.  The shape of the chin in relation to the neck is important.  The ears are evaluated looking at thickness and flexibility and other specific landmarks.

Measurement and Methodology as used in evaluating the facial landscape is detailed and lengthy.  But when performed by an expert, it is a most valuable tool in helping the surgeon and patient achieve the best possible outcomes by creating natural looking facial symmetry – balance – harmony.

A picture is worth a thousand words….

As you peruse this Rhinoplasty (nasal surgery) site – you will see the client before their surgery – and the outstanding results they are now enjoying – after their surgery.  Then please call us to set an appointment for your personal consultation with Dr. Choe.  He’s a specialist who is skilled in working with the challenges experienced by everyone - regardless of age, gender or ethnicity.  

You can trust your face to a board certified specialist…. And remember… facial proportions that are balanced create a distinct, pleasant, more youthful, individual appearance.

Dr. Choe is certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.