Attractiveness of Eyebrow Position and Shape in Females Depends on the Age of the Beholder Dominik K. Feser, M.D., 1 Martin Gru¨ndl, Ph.D., 2 Marita Eisenmann-Klein, M.D., 1 and Lukas Prantl, M.D. 1 1 Department of Plastic Surgery, University of Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauss-Allee 11, 93053 Regensburg, Germany 2 Department of Experimental and Applied Psychology, University of Regensburg, Universita¨tsstrasse 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany Abstract Background: Great diversity exists among individuals with respect to eyebrow position and shape, and the notion of an ‘‘ideal’’ eyebrow has changed quite significantly over the past several decades. Methods: This study compared three different variations of eyebrows. One variation was the arched eyebrow with the maximum height in the middle. The other two variations had their maximum height in the lateral third, but differed in their position (high vs low). For each of the seven female portraits presented, three variations were generated using morphing software. A total of 357 subjects 12 to 85 years of age compared these variations and ranked each woman individually with respect to perceived attractiveness. Results: The data show that the preference for a specific eyebrow shape depends on a personÕs age. Young subjects up to 30 years of age preferred eyebrows in a lower posi- tion, and ruled out arched eyebrows. Subjects older than 50 years stated exactly the opposite preference. Conclusion: First, there is not one single beauty ideal for eyebrows, but at least three. The ideal a person prefers depends on his or her age. Second, because trends are generally introduced by young people and not by older individuals, and the young tend to prefer eyebrows in a lower position, it seems plausible to assume that the trend currently appears to be moving away from arched eyebrows toward lower positioned eyebrows with a maximum height in the lateral third. Key words: Arched eyebrow—Eyebrow position—Eyebrow shape—Eyebrows—Facial attractiveness—Ideal of beauty The eye area forms the emotional and expressive center of the human face [33,34]. In addition to the color, shape (more round or oval), and position of the eyes (more horizontal or with an oblique laterally and gently inclining axis), the shape, color, and length of the lashes also play an important role. Further- more, the quality and quantity of skin (skin excess, skin elasticity, wrinkles), particularly with respect to the upper and lower eyelid; the volume of the eyelid and periorbita (a fuller upper eyelid with an increased amount of pre- and postseptal adipose tissue); the position of the upper eyelid crease; and the height and shape of the eyebrows also are relevant aspects influencing the appearance of the face. Fascination with beauty as well as with the orbits and their surrounding tissues dates back to early human civilization. A high eyebrow positioned above the orbital rim and small eyebrows with the eyebrow arch positioned in the middle were preferred for many decades [10]. In 1974, Westmore [35] suggested a more modern model of the aesthetic brow and postulated that the highest point of a female brow should lie over the lateral limbus. According to this concept, the medial portion of the eyebrow should fall in a vertical line with the lateral ala and the medial canthus. The lateral extent should fall in a tangential line con- necting the lateral canthus and the lateral ala. Finally, the medial and lateral aspects of the eyebrow should fall in the same horizontal plane. In general, all further studies confirmed this new eyebrow shape, with the arch position more lateral and not in the center. The ideal position of the arch has been widely discussed in the literature [3,8,16,19,31,36]. Gunter and Antrobus [19] found that all plastic surgeons preferred a gentle arch Correspondence to L Prantl M.D.; email: lukas. prantl@klinik.uni-regensburg.de Aesth. Plast. Surg. 31:154À160, 2007 DOI: 10.1007/s00266-006-0149-x