THE EFFECTS OF COMPUTER-SIMULATED FACIAL PLASTIC-SURGERY ON SOCIAL-PERCEPTION BY OTHERS

Previous studies have demonstrated the remarkable impact of facial pla stic surgery on the perception of facial features. However, pre-and po stoperative differences other than the surgically changed features suc h as facial expression, hairstyle, make-up etc., have influenced the r esults of previous studies. To exclude these visual cues a computer co mposite photograph of the changed feature mounted upon the preoperativ e photograph, instead of the standard postoperative photograph, was pr esented to observers in this study. Computer graphic technology was us ed to superimpose the postoperative, surgically changed facial feature s such as the nose, ear and chin of 16 patients on standardized preope rative photographs. The randomized preoperative photographs and the 'p ostoperative' composed images were presented to 67 subjects, using a p erson-perception questionnaire. Multivariate analysis demonstrated a m ore favourable postoperative judgement in only two patients (12.5%). T he exclusive effect of facial plastic surgery on the social perception of patients by others when excluding visual cues, such as facial expr ession, hairstyle, make-up etc, is limited. It is tentatively assumed that the role played by facial plastic surgery is one of initiating a positive cycle by changing the patient's self-perception rather than o ne of direct social impact from the changed features.