Analysis of the Visual Perception of Female Breast Aesthetics and Symmetry: An Eye-Tracking Study

Abstract

Background: Because of its subjective character, the term “breast attractiveness” is poorly defined and thus its reliable standardized assessment can be particularly challenging. Because of objective analysis of the observer’s gaze pattern, eye-tracking technology may provide a better insight into the visual perception of breast aesthetics and symmetry. Methods: One hundred observers, 50 women and 50 men, assessed the aesthetics and symmetry of eight types of female breasts displayed as digital images on frontal, lateral, and oblique projections. The gaze pattern of each observer was recorded using eye-tracking technology, and gaze data were subsequently analyzed. Results: Although sex and breast type exerted an effect on attention capturing by some areas of interest, key characteristics of gaze patterns in female and male observers were essentially the same. Irrespective of observers’ sex, the longest fixation duration and the highest fixation number were recorded for lower breast regions, in particular, for the nipple-areola complex. Mean fixation duration in this area corresponded to 58 and 57 percent of overall observation time for female and male observers, respectively, during the assessment of breast aesthetics; and to 56 and 52 percent of overall observation time for female and male observers, respectively, during the assessment of breast symmetry. Conclusions: Nipple-areola complex and lower breast are key focus areas for the assessment of breast aesthetics and symmetry. Gaze data collected during this study may constitute a valuable source of reference values for future eye-tracking research on various patient groups’ visual perception of breast attractiveness and deformities.

“Surgery of Congenital Breast Asymmetry – Which Objective Parameter Influences the Subjective Satisfaction With Long-term Results?”

“…The mean areola diameter (MW AD) was the only body measurement in our work that had a signi cant in uence on the long-term outcome. With this nding our study supports the results of Pietruski et al [43], who recently showed in their eye tracking study that the nipple-areola complex is one of two key focus areas of the female breast.…”

Surgery of congenital breast asymmetry—which objective parameter influences the subjective satisfaction with long-term results

“…The mean areolar diameter (MW AD) was the only body measurement in our work that had a significant influence on the long-term outcome. With this finding, our study supports the results of Pietruski et al [ 43 ], who recently demonstrated in their eye-tracking study that the nipple-areola complex is one of two key focus areas of the female breast.…”

Sex Inequalities in Medical Research: A Systematic Scoping Review of the Literature

“…The five experimental design studies were the same five studies that demonstrate misogyny ( Table 4 ). These five studies were conducted in the United Kingdom ( n = 2), 40 , 41 Poland ( n = 2), 42 , 43 and Italy ( n = 1). 21 Results are presented in Tables 3 and 4 .…”

“… 21 , 40 , 42 Pietruski et al conducted an analysis of visual tracking of the aesthetic of breasts, however, also stated their method is potentially flawed in that there is limited evidence as to how visual patterns translate to assessment of attractiveness. 43 …”