What is it that really makes a woman beautiful? You may be surprised by what plastic surgeons really think. The London Mail, April 17th, 2011, interviewed four of Britain’s top plastic surgeons.

You would think that symmetry, bone structure and skin quality make a face beautiful. This would include a strong central ‘facial triangle’ with bright, wide eyes, proportionate lips and minimally distracting features. But, does this make for beauty? According to Britain’s top plastic surgeons, beauty is much more complex.

Confidence, style and carriage play important roles. But so do idiosyncratic factors, like a wonky smile. Lauren Hutton, the first supermodel, had a gap in her teeth and was never considered a classic beauty. Lara Stone, with still another gap, and Cameron Diaz with a disproportionately wide smile are both considered beautiful today. To that list you can add Renee Zellwegger (small eyes), Sarah Jessica Parker (small eyes, long nose), Nicole Kidman (tiny nose, wide forehead), Penelope Cruz (large nose and mouth) and Maggie Gyllenhaal (with irregular features).

So beauty is a beautiful puzzle. What happens is that the personality of each of these women animates their faces into what we perceive as beautiful.

You can combine a number of so-called ‘perfect’ features on one face, but that does not necessarily translate into beauty. Actually, that face can look bland. Some people are beautiful because their features are perfect, but most people are attractive because their features are imperfect.

An astute plastic surgeon tries to enhance one or two key features, without chasing elusive perfection. The last thing they would do is to make a person feel insecure by comparing them to a film star.

If you’re looking for a plastic surgeon that combines solid science with an artistic sensibility, contact a board-certified plastic surgeon at the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.