Stability of women's facial shape throughout the menstrual cycle

Abstract

Facial characteristics can serve as a cue for judgements of multiple human traits, from maternal tendencies, overall fertility to sexual openness. In this study, we tested previously found fluctuations in facial shape throughout the menstrual cycle. With methods more robust than those formerly used (larger sample size and detailed hormonal assessments determining the timing of the ovulation), we did not find significant changes in either of the three facial measurements conducted: symmetry, averageness and sexual dimorphism (all F ≤ 0.78, all partial η 2 ≤ 0.01, all p ≥ 0.542). After narrowing the sample to cycles that had a higher probability of being ovulatory (based on daily measurements of luteinizing hormone and oestradiol), the results remained non-significant (all F ≤ 1.20, all partial η 2 ≤ 0.03, all p ≥ 0.315). Our results (i) suggest that the previously found increased facial attractiveness of women in the most fertile phase of the menstrual cycle is not driven by changes in facial shape, but might instead stem from other changes in facial appearance, such as a more attractive skin tone; and (ii) underline the importance of replication of studies with new methods.

Shifts in Female Facial Attractiveness during Pregnancy

“…In addition, when the probability of conception is high, women’s faces are perceived as more healthy, sexy, feminine, sociable, trustworthy, caring, likeable, and accessible as a potential date partner than in the nonfertile luteal phase of the menstrual cycle [ 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 ]. Nonetheless, these results have been recently challenged by studies demonstrating no association between menstrual cycle patterns and facial attractiveness (e.g., [ 13 , 14 ]; also, see [ 15 ], that analyzed particular facial attractiveness markers). Pregnancy is another fertility-related factor that can affect women’s facial beauty.…”

Birth size and morphological femininity in adult women

“…As intra-uterine development impacts adult physiology and may underlie life-time exposure to estradiol level, we hypothesized, that birth weight and adiposity (evaluated by ponderal index) are positively related with facial and body femininity in women of reproductive age. As adult body adiposity [ 22 ] and sex steroid levels [ 14 , 34 , 45 ] have been shown to contribute to the level of a woman’s morphological femininity, and also previous studies suggests that the level of morphological femininity may fluctuate following short time changes in estradiol level [ 45 , 40 , 54 ]; although see also [ 48 ] for negative results) we controlled for these variables in the analyses.…”

An exploratory, cross-cultural study on perception of putative cyclical changes in facial fertility cues

“…Aside from methodological issues related to task type, another source of results discrepancy can stem from measurements of facial characteristics. In recent study using computational approach facial shape was showed to be stable throughout the menstrual cycle 40 . Whatever the fluctuations in facial representation of fertility, they must be attenuated by the lack of specific trend in facial shape changes.…”

“…Aside from interpopulation variation, individual differences in the person expressing the preference also can account for variation in facial preferences. A multitude of characteristics have been found to influence human facial preferences, including age (Marcinkowska et al 2017), sexual openness (Marcinkowska et al 2020), relationship status and resource availability (Lyons et al 2016), self-rated attractiveness and health 19 , contraception use ( 20 however see 21 for null effect of hormonal contraception on sexual dimorphism preference), and family constitution, including parenthood status 22 or similarity of judged face to self, sibling or parent 23,24 . This vast array of confounding variables putatively leads to discrepant results, depending on how the study is being conducted, and how many of possibly confounding variables have been included in the model.…”