- Jul 16, 2001
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..ever wonder why your attracted to a particular face?..it may be a hormone based cue.
Fertility Advertisement
"Women are effectively advertising their general fertility with their faces," says Law Smith.
"Our findings could explain why men universally seem to prefer feminine women's faces. In evolutionary terms, it makes sense for men to favor feminine, fertile women," she adds. "Those that did would have had more babies."
A woman's physical appeal is linked to her hormone levels, scientists have found. Women with higher levels of the female sex hormone estrogen have more attractive-looking faces, according to a study published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society.
The new findings could explain the underlying reason why men prefer women with feminine faces. It is the first study to demonstrate that a woman's facial appearance is linked to her underlying health, because estrogen is the hormone that affects reproductive health and fertility.
These effects on appearance are likely to depend on the action of estrogen throughout puberty.
Make-up Masks the Effect
Psychologist Miriam Law Smith and colleagues of the University of St. Andrews photographed the faces of 59 women between 18 and 25 years of age and analyzed their sex hormone levels.
Women with higher levels of estrogen were rated as more attractive, healthy and feminine looking than those with lower levels.
..ever wonder why your attracted to a particular face?..it may be a hormone based cue.
Fertility Advertisement
"Women are effectively advertising their general fertility with their faces," says Law Smith.
"Our findings could explain why men universally seem to prefer feminine women's faces. In evolutionary terms, it makes sense for men to favor feminine, fertile women," she adds. "Those that did would have had more babies."
A woman's physical appeal is linked to her hormone levels, scientists have found. Women with higher levels of the female sex hormone estrogen have more attractive-looking faces, according to a study published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society.
The new findings could explain the underlying reason why men prefer women with feminine faces. It is the first study to demonstrate that a woman's facial appearance is linked to her underlying health, because estrogen is the hormone that affects reproductive health and fertility.
These effects on appearance are likely to depend on the action of estrogen throughout puberty.
Make-up Masks the Effect
Psychologist Miriam Law Smith and colleagues of the University of St. Andrews photographed the faces of 59 women between 18 and 25 years of age and analyzed their sex hormone levels.
Women with higher levels of estrogen were rated as more attractive, healthy and feminine looking than those with lower levels.