Does sexual dimorphism mean facial attractiveness?

No. It means average differences between male and female facial features. Links between those features and attractiveness are weak and mixed.

Can a selfie measure facial sexual dimorphism?

It can compare jaw width, brow prominence and cheek fullness against population averages. That requires an actual population reference, rather than a label alone.

Should I aim for more masculine or feminine features?

The evidence doesn't support either direction as a general attractiveness target. A comparison with an average doesn't establish that you should change a feature.

A guide to sexual dimorphism meaning in facial features

A guide to sexual dimorphism meaning in faces

At a glance

Term: Sexual dimorphism (face)
Area: Face geometry
Measurable from a selfie: Yes: jaw width, brow prominence and cheek fullness against population averages
Evidence: Mixed evidence
Related: FWHR (facial width-to-height ratio), Brow ridge, Neoteny

Average differences describe features, not a whole face

Facial sex differences concern several features, rather than a single defining measurement. Jaw width, brow ridge, cheek fullness and lip size each describe part of the comparison.

For example, a result about jaw width answers a question about that feature. It doesn't answer the same question about your lips or cheeks. Keep the feature named in the result attached to any conclusion you draw from it.

What a selfie can compare

Measurable from a selfie: yes, for jaw width, brow prominence and cheek fullness against population averages. The comparison needs both a named feature and a reference average.

Visible brow prominence differs from measuring how far the brow ridge projects. Assessing that bony projection needs a profile or three-quarter view. A frontal comparison shouldn't be read as a direct measurement of the bone.

Why the attractiveness evidence is mixed

Evidence: mixed evidence. Links between masculine or feminine facial features and attractiveness are weak and point in different directions (The evolutionary psychology of facial beauty).

That limits what you can do with a masculinity or femininity score. Moving further toward either label isn't a supported rule for improving your appearance. A feature's position against an average and an attractiveness score answer different questions.

Read the measurement before the label

The common mistake is reading one number from one photo as a fixed fact about your face. Check what the number describes before interpreting the label attached to it.

The free face-symmetry scan reads landmark distances from one selfie and reports left-right differences and basic ratios; it names what it measured. These outputs don't establish where you sit against male or female population averages.

If a result uses an unfamiliar ratio, check its definition in the glossary before drawing a broader conclusion.

Questions people ask

Does sexual dimorphism mean facial attractiveness?: No. It means average differences between male and female facial features. Links between those features and attractiveness are weak and mixed.
Can a selfie measure facial sexual dimorphism?: It can compare jaw width, brow prominence and cheek fullness against population averages. That requires an actual population reference, rather than a label alone.
Should I aim for more masculine or feminine features?: The evidence doesn't support either direction as a general attractiveness target. A comparison with an average doesn't establish that you should change a feature.

Written from the measurements and ingredient facts on this site, then checked for the usual mistakes. Not medical advice.

The closest pages in this section, picked by topic rather than by date.

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