Variability of Vertical and Horizontal Facial Measurements Among the Population of Basrah
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
THEFACIAL IRAQI POSTGRADUATE MEASUREMENTS MEDICAL JOURNAL VOL. 15,NO.4, 2016 Variability of Vertical and Horizontal Facial Measurements Among the Population of Basrah Zuhair F Fathallah*, Nawal M Abdullah**, Nada H Al-jassim *** ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Anthropometry is the systematic quantitative representation of the human body, it is used to measure the absolute and relative variability in size and shape of the human body. Scientists were studying this knowledge in medicine for both diagnosis and treatment. The people of Basrah are a mixture of Semites, Arian, and there are the mixed group result from interracial marriages. OBJECTIVE: To quantitatively measure the human face in different ethnic groups of local population and to identify the differences between individuals of different races and sexes, also to identify the differences between the people of Iraq and other people worldwide. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study is a cross sectional study conducted in Basrah governorate. The data was randomly collected for the period from February to July 2013, from 1000 Iraqi adults (526 females and 474 males) living throughout Basrah governorate. They were between the ages of 18- 40 years, and had to meet certain criteria. This sample was used to create a database for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The results show that the measurements of the three sections and four sections facial profile are unequal as stated by neoclassical canons. The ears are longer than the nose. There are slight differences between the intercanthal distance (ICD) and alar width. The palpebral fissure length is equal to the ICD. The mouth width is 1.4 times the nose width. The facial width (zy- zy) is 3.4 times the nose (alae) width. CONCLUSION: There are differences in facial measurements, although slight, between different ethnic groups in Iraq, and between Iraqi population in general and the population of other countries, therefore, aesthetic measurements applied to all races are inapplicable. These slight differences could be attributed to interracial marriages and or environmental effect. KEY WORDS: anthropometry, vertical and horizontal measurements, variation of facial measurements, racial variation of the face. INTRODUCTION: Physical beauty is only one element of true size and shape of the human body (2). During the beauty in humans, other qualities of the mind and last centuries, there have been remarkable soul is the substance of true beauty (1). The facial changes in anthropometric measurements due to beauty is influenced by symmetry of the face and geographical, cultural, genetic and environmental harmonious facial proportions. Restoration of factors (3, 4). facial proportions and elimination of The earliest recorded facial analysis is in the disproportionate relationship is the key to ancient Greek canons (c. 450 B.C). Leonardo da restoration of facial harmony. Vinci (1452-1519 A.D.), the Renaissance artists, Anthropometry is the systematic quantitative used the Canons of ancient Greeks and representation of the human body; it used to established the system of the “neoclassical measure the absolute and relative variability in canons” (5). Studying human face and facial dimension attract the attention of the artists and *Assistant Professor / Plastic Surgery. scientist in both medical and dental fields for Dept. of Surgery / Basrah Medical College. diagnosis and treatment. At present time, plastic **Dept. of Anatomy / Basrah Medical College. surgeons worldwide are still under the influence ***Dept. of Anatomy / Basrah Medical College. of the proportions that are based upon da Vinci neoclassical canons(3). THE IRAQI POSTGRADUATE MEDICAL JOURNAL 419 VOL. 15,NO.4, 2016 FACIAL MEASUREMENTS Farkas et al(1985) 3 and Jayaratne et al (2012) (6) different races and ethnic group which are part of , were the first investigators to test the validity of the mosaic population of Basrah. neoclassical facial canons; by studying facial AIM OF THIS STUDY: measurements of North American Caucasians at To compare the facial measurements between the different ages(3) . Later these canons were tested different ethnic groups among the population of on several ethnic groups as Persian(7) , Chinese(8) Basrah on one side and with the population of , African-American(9) and Turkish(10). These nearby countries (e.g. Iran, Turkey and Arab studies were performed with manual countries) with similar ethnic group, highlighting anthropometry in which measurements were the differences between these groups will directly taken from the candidates. possibly help aesthetic surgeons understand the Seeking facial aesthetic surgery has become a hints of a particular ethnic group and help to cultural custom in our society. With the advance guide the preoperative planning. in media and communications, the interest in MATERIAL AND METHODS: cosmetic and reconstructive surgery increases, This is a cross section study with a comparative and more procedures performed on subjects of component conducted in different parts of Basrah different racial and ethnic back ground. Many do governorate. The data was randomly collected not necessarily wish to lose their ethnic identities from volunteers, for the period from February to but simply hope to improve their beauty by July 2013. Raw data used in this study bringing features that are out of proportion back originates from a total number of 1000 adults toward proportions that are typical to their race (526 female and 474 male) of different races i.e. they wish to preserve their ethnic features living throughout Basrah governorate and was through cosmetic procedure (7, 11) , but most used to create a database for statistical analysis. plastic surgery textbooks dedicate the chapters on Volunteers were selected between the ages of 18- the perfect facial proportions that are derived 40 years from educational, health and religious mainly from neoclassical canons and studies that institutes, irrespective to their social or concentrated on North American White or educational back grounds. European subjects.(11) The application of these Demographic data, including age and parental values on people of other racial and ethnic heritage, were obtained from volunteers. A backgrounds can result in disagreeing features, requirement for inclusion of the candidate was loss of identity, and an unnatural appearance that both his /her parents were from the races which is not aesthetically pleasing. studied (excluding African Iraqi and Anglo Facial analysis is a critical component of the pre- Indian). operative assessment in facial plastic surgery, for All subjects participate in this study had to meet procedures such as rhinoplasty, blepharoplasty, the following criteria; they have to be 18 years of eyebrow lift… etc. The anthropometric age and above (to minimize the effects of ageing differences between the population of Basrah and on the facial measurements), no obvious facial other people worldwide is due to the differences deformities, no history of chronic disease that and variations in bone, cartilage and soft tissue may alter the craniofacial morphology, no history covering in different ethnic group (12) .These of medical treatment that could produce differences are responsible for the special facial distortion of normal facial landmarks, no history features in different ethnic groups, therefore, It of maxillofacial, plastic or reconstructive should be maintained during reconstructive or surgery, and lastly no history of major trauma. aesthetic surgery otherwise the patients will lose Verbal consent was obtained from the their ethnic features .(11) participants and the approval of the ethical The populations of Basrah are heterogeneous committee of Basrah Medical College. formed of the following races :( Wikipedia) The standard instruments used in this study were 1) Semite: Arabs, Assyrian, Chaldean, Syrian- calipers for large round measures, sliding Aramic, Hebrews and Mandaeans. calipers for short distance measures and 2) Arian: Armenian, Turk, Persian and Kurd. measuring tape (Fig 1). Surface landmarks were 3) Mix: interracial marriages. noted on the face before taking the standard There are no comprehensive anthropometric anthropometric measurement. The head studies in the literature were done on analysis of orientation was achieved by positioning the head facial measurements on Iraqi population (as far so that the Frankfurt horizontal plane aligns as the authors know). This study has been done parallel to the floor. The facial midline was on a large scale (1000 volunteers) involving determined by three anatomical landmarks: the THE IRAQI POSTGRADUATE MEDICAL JOURNAL 4 20 VOL. 15,NO.4, 2016 FACIAL MEASUREMENTS nasion, the subnasal, and the gnathion. The 11. Face width (zy- zy). horizontal or vertical measurements were In this study, seven of the canons (2- 8) were performed according to the classical methods of used to compared our results with other studies the physical anthropometry. Fig 2 worldwide. The following points were selected as facial land The computer program SPSS version 15.0 was marks: used for statistical analysis. This program has a 1. Vertex (v) : The highest point on the head comprehensive system for data analysis. It also when the head is oriented in the Frankfort automatically excludes individuals from an horizontal plane. analysis if they do not meet the criteria, or if any 2. Trichion (tr) : A point at on the hairline in the of chosen variables are missing from their record. midline of the forehead. Neoclassical canons (Formula):