The multifaceted human facial appearance: beyond skin and hair

The present paper aims at analyzing how?and to which extent?the subjective concept of “Beauty”, through the facial appearance of humans, can be scientifically studied and objectively defined. The major criteria that affect the appearance of facial skin and hair are reviewed with a special mention to their individual, psychological, social and ethnic impacts. The underlying and silent biological events that govern facial appearance are described at the light of the most recent findings. The constant dialogestablished between skin and brain, in addition to its sensorial aspect, owns a particular importance in driving strong individual and social relationships and in governing attractiveness. All these exposed criteria allow the respective roles, impacts and duties of the two complementary branches that both aim at modifying facial appearance, i.e. Dermatology and Cosmetics, to be better described. Through the so subjective concept of “beauty”, the present review attempts to illustrate the permanent and strong connection between the inseparable physiological and psychological facets. The good maintenance of their respective balances is the core definition of health, as stated by the World Health Organization.