In short. An assessment records relationships inside one face rather than distances against a chart: what is measured, and why skin behaviour is recorded separately.
Key points
- A relationship that appears often in a population describes that population.
- It cannot tell you whether the feature you have noticed is the feature a plan should address, and it cannot tell you what your face should look like.
- The assessment sets out what is anatomically reachable; the goal is set by you.
An assessment of facial proportions is not a measurement against a standard. It describes how the parts of one face relate to each other, and answers a practical question: of the things you have noticed, which would change if something were done, and which would not? A proportion that is common in a population describes that population rather than setting a target for you.
The relationships that are recorded
Six are usually noted. Facial width across the cheekbones relative to the width of the jaw. The projection of the midface, which is what the cheek rests on. The position of the chin, in profile and from the front. The height of the nasal bridge relative to the rest of the nose. The position of the nasal tip relative to the upper lip. The share of the lower face taken by the mouth and the chin. Each is recorded as a relationship inside your own face, because that is the only comparison that carries information about you.
Skin is recorded separately, because it behaves separately
Thickness of the dermis, the amount and distribution of facial fat, the direction skin tension runs, how readily your skin leaves pigment after inflammation, and how you have scarred before are all part of the same assessment. They are recorded not because they describe appearance but because they change which options are sensible. A plan that suits thin skin may not transfer to thick skin, and a plan made without knowing how your skin heals is missing a variable.
A common proportion is not a target
A relationship that appears often in a population describes that population. It cannot tell you whether the feature you have noticed is the feature a plan should address, and it cannot tell you what your face should look like. The assessment sets out what is anatomically reachable; the goal is set by you.
What the assessment deliberately excludes
It excludes comparisons with other faces and with other populations. A reference photograph taken from another face treats one set of relationships as the specification for a different set, and hides the relationships that actually decide a plan. It also excludes any judgement about whether a feature is attractive. That is a question about a person rather than about anatomy, answered by the person rather than by a measurement.
Where it leads
The output is an order of work rather than a list. Usually one structural question is identified first, one thing can reasonably wait, and one or two options are ruled out because the risk they carry is not matched by what they would change. It is a normal outcome for the assessment to conclude that nothing should be done, and that is a finding rather than a refusal.
What should be recorded before any plan
- The relationships inside your own face, at rest and in expression.
- Skin thickness, pigment history and how you have scarred before.
- Which finding the plan changes, and what happens if it does not.
Frequently asked questions
What is actually being compared during a facial assessment?
The parts of your face against each other, not against a chart. Facial width at the cheekbones is read relative to the jaw, the projection of the midface relative to the chin, the height of the bridge relative to the rest of the nose and to the facial height. A single distance on its own carries almost no information, because the same measurement means different things on two differently built faces.
Why is skin recorded as part of an assessment of proportions?
Because skin decides what is safe to do rather than what looks right. Dermal thickness, the way facial fat is distributed, how readily your skin leaves pigment after inflammation and how you have scarred before all change which options are worth considering. A plan built for thin skin does not transfer reliably to thick skin, and a plan made without knowing your healing history is missing one of its inputs.
Does recording a proportion mean it is being treated as a problem?
No, and the distinction matters. Recording a relationship is how a plan establishes what is reachable, what would change if something were done, and what would not. It says nothing about whether anything should be done. A proportion that is common in a population describes that population; it is not a standard for you, and it is not a target.
Risks & Limitations
- Some facial change is skeletal, and no soft-tissue treatment alters bone position.
- Pigment can appear after anything that inflames the skin, and it may take months to settle.
- Scars mature over months and are managed rather than erased.
- Results are judged at 6 to 12 months, not in the first weeks.
- Doing nothing is a legitimate option, and waiting rarely makes a later plan harder.
When to Seek Care
- Sudden facial weakness, drooping or slurred speech — seek emergency care the same day.
- Spreading redness, warmth, fever or discharge from a treated area.
- A patch of skin or a scar that is spreading, blistering or changing colour.
- A lump that can be felt, or a mole that has changed in size, shape or border.
References & Further Reading
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) — procedure and safety guidance
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE, UK) — relevant guidance
- Cochrane Library — systematic reviews
- Chinese Medical Association Plastic Surgery Branch — clinical guidance
This page is patient education, not medical advice, and it does not cite individual studies. Discuss your own case with a qualified clinician. To arrange an assessment at Chongqing West District Hospital, see Contact & Consultation.