title: Changes in Women's Facial Skin Color over the Ovulatory Cycle are Not Detectable by the Human Visual System.
abstract: Human ovulation is not advertised, as it is in several primate species, by conspicuous sexual swellings. However, there is increasing evidence that the attractiveness of women's body odor, voice, and facial appearance peak during the fertile phase of their ovulatory cycle. Cycle effects on facial attractiveness may be underpinned by changes in facial skin color, but it is not clear if skin color varies cyclically in humans or if any changes are detectable. To test these questions we photographed women daily for at least one cycle. Changes in facial skin redness and luminance were then quantified by mapping the digital images to human long, medium, and shortwave visual receptors. We find cyclic variation in skin redness, but not luminance. Redness decreases rapidly after menstrual onset, increases in the days before ovulation, and remains high through the luteal phase. However, we also show that this variation is unlikely to be detectable by the human visual system. We conclude that changes in skin color are not responsible for the effects of the ovulatory cycle on women's attractiveness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Northumbria University, Newcastle, NE1 8ST, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Robert P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Burriss
authors.affiliation: Centre for Ecology & Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, TR10 9FE, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Jolyon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Troscianko
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychology, Abertay University, Dundee, DD1 1HG, United Kingdom; School of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, KY16 9JP, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: P George
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Lovell
authors.affiliation: MRC International Nutrition Group, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom; Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Anthony J C
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Fulford
authors.affiliation: Centre for Ecology & Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, TR10 9FE, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Rachael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Quigley
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Payne
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Northumbria University, Newcastle, NE1 8ST, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Tamsin K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Saxton
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, United Kingdom; Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, NW1 4RY, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Hannah M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Rowland
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001504:Beauty; D003116:Color; D005145:Face / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000098:blood supply; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008183:Luteal Phase / Q000502:physiology*; D010060:Ovulation / Q000502:physiology*; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology; D010781:Photography; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D014831:Voice / Q000502:physiology