Do I Need A Chin Reduction?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I’ve read two things regarding facial attractiveness.

1) The middle third and lower third of the face should be roughly equal in size (my middle third is 224 and my lower 216)

2) The lower third can be divided into three sections and the top section, the upper lip, should equal 1/3 of the total area and the bottom two sections, the lower lip and chin, should equal 2/3 of the total lower third height.  (my upper lip is 71 and my lower lip and chin combined are 139 so it almost perfectly matches the ideal 1:2 ratio). 

According to these measurements, my chin is actually not too long. This surprises me because I was always under the impression I had a long chin and would benefit from a slight reduction in chin height. (vertical chin reduction)

Do you have an opinion on my chin height? I’m trying to approach this scientifically, but I’m not sure I’m succeeding.

A: What you are learning is that facial measurements and ratios are general guidelines and do not always translate directly into perceived attractiveness. Case in point…you felt your chin was too vertically long but the numbers say otherwise. While the numbers may be ‘right’, in the end all that matters is what you think. What you need to do is approach your chin concerns in reverse…so some computer imaging with shortening the chin (vertical chin reduction) and see if it looks better to you.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana