plastic surgery
When last did you see something beautiful? Yesterday, last night, this morning on the way to work? Was it the curve of a luxury vehicle, the silhouette of a passing woman or the way the light broke through a section of dark clouds? When you saw that fleeting glimpse of beauty did you stop to ask yourself why you found it appealing?
Sure, some things are nice to look at, but why? Some people may argue that cultural and societal norms shape the way we perceive the world around us, but when it comes right down to it, some things are innately aesthetically pleasing whether you are a 40 year old Canadian man or a 12 year old Vietnamese girl. For centuries scientists and artists have researched the mysterious phenomenon of beauty and in their studies repeatedly came across the curious quantity of Phi – a dimension that is found in the proportions of the human body, the curvature of certain plants and the lay-out of the solar system to name but a few.
The Fibonacci Sequence
The concept of Phi was derived from the Fibonacci sequence and is valued at approximately 1.618. Also known as the Golden Ratio of Devine Proportion, the most basic form Phi results when a line is divided in such a way that the ratio of the length of the entire line to the length of larger line segment is the same as the ratio of the length of the larger line segment to the length of the smaller line segment. The designs of structures like the Parthenon, the pyramids and the Notre Dame Cathedral have all been found to adhere to the principle of Phi, which explains why these buildings appear naturally graceful despite their massive dimensions.
Dr. Stephen Marquardt, a former plastic surgeon, postulates that beauty could be seen as an archaic survival mechanism that ensures the survival of the species by establishing recognition and attraction between human beings. According to this theory, the faces we find the most beautiful are quite simply the facades that are most readily recognisable as being human!
The Parthenon on Acropolis in Athens.
Dr Marquardt then went on to construct a ‘mask’ that, when digitally placed over a given set of facial features, is said to determine how closely these features adhere to the principle of Phi. The template comprises of decagons and pentagons and embodies Phi in all of its dimensions. Different templates exist for Caucasian, Asian and African features. (Jessica Simpson, George Clooney and Tom Cruise are among the celebrity faces that fit the mask well. )
Plastic surgeons are often confronted with patients that don’t have any specific complaints (i.e. my nose is skew, my eyes are droopy) but who merely seek to even out real/perceived ‘imbalances’ in their facial or bodily features. In this case surgeons could turn to the principle of Phi. Take for instance the perfect human smile – a great example of the occurrence of Phi in the human face. The front two incisor teeth form a golden rectangle, with a phi ratio in the height to the width. The ratio of the width of the first tooth to the second tooth from the centre is also phi. Similarly, women whose measurements are larger the norm can seem in balance as long as their breast-to-hip ration complies with Phi. For instance, both Marilyn Monroe and Kate Moss’ measurements comply with Phi and no-one can dispute the fact that these two beauties are like chalk and cheese – yet they are both regarded as particularly beautiful. Knowing this, plastic surgeons can endeavour to rectify imbalances with the help of this established set of ‘rules’.
Not all professionals accept this theory in its entirety although its relevance has never been directly disputed. Some may argue that beauty, as the age-old saying goes, lies in the eye of the beholder. Phi and all its pesky particulars seem to have no effect on the unusual allure of ‘quirky’ beauties like Maggie Gyllenhaal or Kirsten Dunst, for instance.
In a world getting more and more obsessed with physical perfection and plastic surgery by the day, it can be very easy to lose sight of the fact that a lack of flaws does not necessarily equate true beauty. I guess it’s up to each person to decide for themselves. The Phi thing is tremendously interesting though, isn’t it?
