Lip Augmentation with Soft Tissue Fillers: Social Media, Perceptual Adaptation, and Shifting Beauty Trends beyond Golden Standard Ideals

Abstract

Background: Unfortunately, current beauty trends greatly advertised by social media are trespassing recognized cannons of beauty. Of particular interest are patients' expectations of soft tissue volume augmentation of the face, specifically of the lips. Methods: An artificial intelligence picture of a White female face was generated. With the fixed standard golden upper-to-lower (U/L) lip ratio, a first set of pictures was generated with varying lip fullness. A second set of pictures was generated with various U/L ratios and lip fullness. In a survey format, the 2 sets of pictures were rated for attractiveness from the most to the least attractive by adult men and women. Results: Rating the first set of pictures clearly demonstrates that overinflation of lips with upper lip height in excess of 30% of hemi-lip width is highly regarded as unaesthetic and unattractive, with a net preference of 20%-25%. For the second set, U/L ratios between 0.618:1 and 1:1 are still regarded to be most aesthetic. Conclusions: Though social media have an influence on perception of beauty, data provided by the survey confirm that golden standards of aesthetics remain constant and that exaggerated requests of some patients may not be attributed solely to social media influence but probably to social media in combination with additional personal predisposing factors. Patients must be made aware that how they are perceived by others is essential for them to be satisfied with their appearance.