Cosmetic Surgery and the Diversity of Cultural and Ethnic Perceptions of Facial, Breast, and Gluteal Aesthetics in Women: A Comprehensive Review

An increasing number of people are opting for cosmetic surgeries. For many years, the physical and aesthetic appearance of Caucasians has been considered to be ideal. However, it is now commonly acknowledged that attractiveness and aesthetic standards vary among cultural backgrounds and ethnic groups and that Western attractiveness criteria no longer apply to all. Herein, we conducted a comprehensive review of studies that examined cultural and ethnic variations in preferences for facial, breast, and gluteal aesthetics, as well as reviewed studies that investigated ethnic disparities in attitudes and motivations for cosmetic surgery. A total of 4532 references were identified, 66 of which met the inclusion criteria. Several studies have reported that facial golden ratios are invalid for representing perceived attractiveness standards among different ethnicities. The majority of studies also indicated that facial aesthetic interventions should not aim to Westernize but to optimize ethnic traits. Significant ethnic differences in preferences for upper- and lower-pole breast proportions have been reported. The size of the buttocks and waist-to-hip ratio were identified as the main factors of buttock aesthetics, with buttock size preferences having a high ethnic diversity. Interest in cosmetic surgical procedures while maintaining ethnic identity continues to grow among young women worldwide. This comprehensive review strongly suggests that accommodating cultural and ethnic differences in aesthetic standards in cosmetic surgery planning can lead to more acceptable cosmetic outcomes.