Beyond clear and smooth skin, a beautiful face shape has been one of the most highly sought-after features to have. It is easy to see why: your face shape determines which type of glasses will frame your face, which haircuts flatter you the most, and even the type of hair colours that you should opt for if you want to contour and highlight your face.
Genetics determine how your face shape will look like, hence you will usually have a face shape that is similar to one or both of your parents. Other than genetic factors, gender also determines your face shape. Different sex hormones can make your face sharper, squarer, or softer, which is why men and women tend to have slightly different face shapes.
Although all face shapes are beautiful in their own ways, science has found one specific shape that is universally acknowledged to be the most beautiful shape that you can have – read on to see if you may have it!
The face shape that wins hearts
Sure, we know beautiful people with square-shaped face, round face, and so on. But the heart shape, otherwise more commonly known as a V-shaped face, has been scientifically proven to be the most visually attractive face shape to have.
Heart-shaped faces like those of Hollywood star Reese Witherspoon are deemed as ‘mathematically beautiful’. A heart-shaped face typically refers to a fairly wide forehead and chin. The chin will be slightly pointy, the jawline will be relatively narrow, and the cheekbones ideally as wide as your eyebrows.
If you are wondering whether this face shape is more art than science, here’s what you should know! This conclusion was derived after scientists at the Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia analysed the average facial measurements from photographs of 55 beautiful female models to quantify the exact idealistic facial proportions of a vertical distance of 13.1mm between your eyes and cheekbones.
The same research has also shown that a heart, or V-shaped, face helps you to look younger, which is also why it is deemed as highly attractive and hence coveted by many, especially in Asia.
How to get a permanent V-shaped face
While most of us yearn to sport a V-shaped face so that we will look visually appealing and youthful, not all of us are genetically blessed with the most mathematically ideal face shape.
However, don’t despair even if you belong to the majority who did not hit the DNA jackpot! Besides products and tools that give you a temporary lift (think face massagers), there are also non-invasive and minimally-invasive aesthetic treatments that can give you more permanent results:
1. SmartLipo
If you struggle to get rid of your double chin that is getting in the way of your V-shaped face, you may find that no amount of dieting and exercise seems to work as the fat area is too stubborn.
In such cases, you can turn to SmartLipo®, a minimally-invasive fat reduction treatment ideal for removing small pockets of facial fat such as double chin and cheeks. A tiny tube (around 1mm) containing a fibre optic laser is inserted into excess fat under your skin. The laser eliminates the fat cells and releases liquid fat, which is then removed from the body via suction.
In addition to removing stubborn fat, your aesthetic doctor may encourage you to combine this treatment with Botox and fillers to sculpt that sweetheart face shape you desire.
Do take note that SmartLipo is a form of liposuction that can only be performed by doctors who are accredited by MOH. Therefore, not all aesthetic clinics and doctors can offer this option. Dr. Ivan Puah from Amaris B. Clinic, for example, is one of the few doctors in Singapore who have been licensed to perform liposuction.
2. N-Cog Skin Lift
Even if you are lucky enough to be born with a V-shaped facial structure, you may find the heart shape of your face slowly disappearing over time as your skin starts to sag with age. Hence, it is time to turn to a skin lift to regain your smooth V-shaped face.
The advantage of this procedure is that it does not require lengthy downtime often associated with surgical procedures. Threads like N-Cog (Newton Cog) are strategically placed inside the skin via a needle so that the skin can be pulled and lifted up from the inside, and remain implanted after the needle is removed.
Although the procedure may sound painful, there is no need to worry as local anaesthesia is applied to the areas where the skin is being pulled in order to numb any pain and prevent discomfort.
Unlike other PDO skin lifts, this N-Cog thread can also help to tighten your skin uniformly, prevent wrinkles, as well as minimise irritation and inflammation. You can now have a beautiful heart-shaped face AND a smoother skin complexion to boot!
3. 4D Fluid Facelift with Derma Fillers
This is a bespoke treatment created by Amaris B. Clinic’s medical director, Dr. Ivan Puah, that aims to restore the natural and curved contours of the face subtly. If you have facial features that you want to target (e.g. your cheeks) so that you can mould your face into a heart shape, you can consider opting for this aesthetic treatment.
Used to address the top three beauty concerns at one go (facial enhancement, facial rejuvenation, and facial slimming), 4D Fluid Facelift is achieved by injecting dermal fillers to contour specific facial areas and adding volume to areas on the face that require a boost. This procedure is usually combined with botulinum toxin for an even smoother complexion and younger-looking appearance.
Some benefits of the treatment you can look forward to include:
• Defy Age – Adds fullness to the face.
• Definite Enhancement – Fills in shallow contours.
• Define Features – Volumises lips, contours nose and chin.
• De-crease Fine Lines – Softens facial crease and wrinkles.
A set of fuller lips, well-contoured nose and sharper chin are no longer as out of reach as it may seem!
4. Botox
Botulinum toxin (commonly known as Botox) is a naturally-purified protein that temporarily disrupts the release of acetylcholine, which sends signals from your nerve cells to other cells. This chemical disruption causes a reduction in abnormal muscle contraction so that your muscles become less stiff.
Botox is often prescribed to treat a variety of medical conditions such as chronic migraines, eyelid spasm, and even excessive sweating. Cosmetically, Botox is used to treat facial lines by relaxing facial muscles to smooth unwanted wrinkles and stop deeper lines from forming, but did you know that it is also commonly used for jaw reduction?
Botox may reverse a ‘pointy’ chin (otherwise known as a witch’s chin) by relaxing the muscle that causes puckering of the skin, tighten and redefine the neck and jawline for an elegant and a more youthful look, and even reduce oil production in the skin so that glass skin is also possible to attain.
Where to get a V-shaped face
Although the methods that we’ve listed above are non-invasive and/or minimally-invasive, they are still aesthetic treatments that can only be carried out by certified, recognised, and licensed doctors in Singapore.
If you’d like to seek consultation on these treatments for a V-shaped face, Dr. Ivan Puah from Amaris B. Clinic is one of the accredited doctors in Singapore to visit.
With more than 15 years of experience in aesthetic medicine giving FDA-approved injectables under his belt, he has also received training and guidance in syringe liposculpture, fat grafting and thread lift by renowned French plastic surgeon, Dr. Pierre Francois Fournier.
In a nod to his professional expertise and reputation, Dr. Ivan Puah currently serves as the chairman of Lipo Peer Review Group in Singapore, and is also the appointed trainer for doctors on injectables such as Botox and fillers by Merz Singapore, Allergan Singapore.
Amaris B. Clinic is located at 140 Arab Street, Singapore 199827. Call 65364211 or email [email protected] to schedule for a consultation.
This article is brought to you by Amaris B. Clinic.
