title: A three-dimensional study of sexual dimorphism in the human face.
abstract: The sexual dimorphism in three-dimensional facial form (size plus shape) was investigated in a sample of 40 men and 36 women by using Euclidean-distance matrix analysis. Subjects ranged in age from 19 to 32 years, had excellent dentitions, and had no craniocervical disorders. For each subject, 16 facial landmarks were automatically collected using a computerized system consisting of two infrared CCD cameras, real-time hardware for the recognition of markers, and software for the three-dimensional reconstruction of landmarks' x, y, z coordinates. Euclidean-distance matrix analysis confirmed the well-known size difference between adult male and female faces (men's faces being 6% to 7% larger than women's faces), while it demonstrated no significant gender differences in three-dimensional facial shape. This result contrasted with the shape differences previously found when separate two-dimensional frontal and sagittal plane projections were analyzed. It could be explained by a relative three-dimensional compensation between the different facial dimensions.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Functional Anatomy of the Stomatognathic Apparatus, Institute of Human Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: V F
authors.initials: VF
authors.lastname: Ferrario
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sforza
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Poggio
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Serrao
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002508:Cephalometry / Q000379:methods*; D005145:Face / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009716:Numerical Analysis, Computer-Assisted; D012016:Reference Values; D012727:Sex Characteristics