The Centre, P.C. - Plastic Surgery Blog

Men Like What? Sorting Out The Science of Beauty - Monday, July 27, 2009

For many women considering plastic surgery at our Elkhart, Indiana plastic surgery office, the goal of their cosmetic surgery procedure is to provide them with a body contour that they want and others will find attractive. New studies, however, are making many women question what it is that men actually like.

The first thought of many women is that men prefer slim waists, large breasts, and an hourglass figure. A study performed in Australia shows that this may not be the case. 100 men were asked to rate the drawings of over 200 different female torsos, and the one with the highest rating had the most average-woman size.

This is in contrast to the study published in March that sought to quantify the ideal female body. In this study, the ratios that were most important to men were the bust-to-underbust ratio, waist-to-hip ration, and the bust-to-waist ration. However, there are good reasons to believe the earlier study rather than the more recent one:

• Better study design. In the new study, the torsos were line drawn figures that didn't take bust size into account, whereas in the earlier study, the figures were computer-modified figures derived from a real photograph. The earlier study looked not just at waist-to-hip-to-shoulder ratio, but also at breast size, torso length, and leg length.
• Larger sample size. The new study only surveyed 100 men where the earlier study utilized over 34,000 ratings.
• It better matches our real-world experience. If the majority of men liked so-called "average women," then sex symbols with these measurements would dominate.

These two different studies both suggest that men find certain aspects of women's bodies attractive. Regardless of the studies, however, the most attractive woman is one that is happy with the shape of her body.

Our experienced plastic surgeons want to help you achieve the best appearance possible, and we will do this by listening to your wants and needs. We can help you improve your breast contour, slim your waist, or get rid of pockets of excess fat with breast augmentation, tummy tuck, and liposuction.

No matter what problems you may have with your body, we have a cosmetic surgery procedure that can help you feel confident in your body. Please contact the experienced plastic surgeons at The Centre, P.C. in Elkhart, Indiana today to schedule your initial consultation.