Human physical appearance
Human physical appearance refers to the outward phenotype or look of human beings. There are infinite variations in human phenotypes, though society reduces the variability to distinct categories. Physical appearance of humans, in particular those attributed which are regarded as important for physical attractiveness, are believed by anthropologists to significantly affect the development of personality and social relations. Humans are acutely sensitive to their physical appearance, some theorize for reasons of evolution. Some differences in human appearance are genetic, others are the result of age, lifestyle or disease, and many are the result of personal adornment.
Some people have traditionally linked some differences in personal appearance such as skeletal shape with ethnicity, such as prognathism or elongated stride. Different cultures place different degrees of emphasis on physical appearance and its importance to social status and other phenomena.
Factors affecting physical appearance
Various factors are considered relevant in relation to the physical appearance of humans.
Physiological differences
- Genetic, racial, ethnic affiliation
- Height, body weight, skin tone, body hair, sexual organs, moles, birthmarks, freckles, hair color, hair texture, eye color, eye shape, nose shape, ears shape, body shape
- Body deformations, mutilations and other variations such as amputations, scars, burns and wounds.
Long-term physiological changes
Short-term physiological changes
Clothing, personal effects, and intentional body modifications
- clothing, including headgear and footwear; some clothes alter or mold the shape of the body (e.g. corset, support pantyhose, bra). As for footwear, high heels make a person look taller.
- style and colour of haircut (see also mohawk, dreadlocks, braids, ponytail, wig, hairpin, facial hair, beard and moustache)
- cosmetics, stage makeup, body paintings, permanent makeup
- body modifications, such as body piercings, tattoos, scarification
- plastic surgery
- decorative objects (jewelry) such as a necklaces, bracelets, rings, earrings
- medical or body shape altering devices (e.g. tooth braces, bandages, casts, hearing aids, cervical collar, crutches, contact lenses of different colours, glasses, gold teeth)
Other functional objects, temporarily attached to the body
See also
References