Search Results (8)

Background/Objectives: Individuals with eating disorders (EDs) experience stronger body illusions than control participants, suggesting that abnormalities in multisensory integration may underlie distorted body perception in these conditions. These illusions can also temporarily reduce body image disturbance. Given the centrality of the face to identity and social functioning—and emerging evidence of face image disturbance in EDs—this study examined, for the first time, whether individuals with EDs exhibit heightened susceptibility to a facial illusion (the enfacement illusion) and whether experiencing this illusion improves face and/or body image. Methods: White Australian female participants (19 with an ED and 24 controls) completed synchronous and asynchronous facial mimicry tasks to induce the enfacement illusion. Susceptibility was assessed via self-report and an objective self-face recognition task, alongside pre- and post-task measures of perceived facial attractiveness, facial adiposity estimation, and head/body dissatisfaction. Results: The illusion was successfully induced across both groups. Contrary to predictions, ED and control participants demonstrated comparable susceptibility, and neither group experienced improvements in face or body image. Notably, participants with EDs experienced increased head dissatisfaction following the illusion. Conclusions: These findings indicate that the multisensory integration processes underlying self-face perception, unlike those underlying body perception, may remain intact in EDs. Participant reflections suggested that the limited therapeutic benefit of the enfacement illusion for EDs may reflect the influence of maladaptive social-evaluative processing biases inadvertently triggered during the illusion. A novel dual-process model is proposed in which distorted self-face perception in EDs may arise from biased social-cognitive processing rather than sensory dysfunction alone. Full article

Background: Facial feminization surgery (FFS) is critical to gender-affirming surgery, consisting of craniomaxillofacial procedures to align facial features with a patient’s gender identity. Central to FFS is genioplasty, which reshapes or repositions the chin; however, limited research exists on genioplasty in FFS. This review and cohort analysis aim to evaluate current practices and outcomes for individuals undergoing FFS with genioplasty. Methods: A systematic review included transfeminine individuals undergoing FFS with genioplasty. A retrospective study reviewed FFS cases with genioplasty between 2017 and 2024. Data collected included demographics, imaging, virtual surgical planning (VSP), complications, and patient-reported outcomes (PROs). Results: The review included 12 studies with 1417 patients, with 34.2% undergoing genioplasty. The mean age was 37.3 years, and 60.1% were White. Preoperative imaging and VSP were used in 66.7% of studies, 3D-printed cutting guides in 37.5%, and 3D reconstruction in 75.0%. Reduction genioplasty was the most common technique. All PROs indicated high satisfaction, with a 2.67% revision rate. Complications were low (0.55%), with infections being most frequent (0.48%). In the institutional cohort, 351 patients underwent FFS, with 64.4% undergoing genioplasty, significantly higher than in the review (p < 0.001). Sliding genioplasty was preferred without preoperative imaging or VSP. Postoperative dissatisfaction was 3.54%, with 0.88% requiring revision (p = 0.063). Complication rates (1.77%) were similar to those of the review (p = 0.065). Conclusions: Genioplasty is important in FFS, with low complication and revision rates and high patient satisfaction. However, gaps remain in validated PROs and technique-specific outcomes. While preoperative imaging and VSP show benefits, comparable outcomes are achievable without them. Full article

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study. Objective: Frontal sinus fractures (FSFs) can lead to a range of clinical challenges, including facial deformity, impaired facial sensation, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage, sinus drainage impairment, chronic sinus pain and mucocele formation. The optimal management approach, whether surgical or conservative, remains a topic of ongoing discussion. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the functional and esthetic outcomes of patients with surgically and conservatively treated FSFs. Methods: In this retrospective study, patients treated for FSFs at the Karolinska university hospital 2004 to 2020 were identified in hospital records and invited to participate in a long-term follow-up. Sequelae and satisfaction with the esthetic result were assessed trough questionnaires and physical examinations. Results: A total of 93 patients were included in the study, with 49 presenting isolated anterior wall fractures and 44 presenting combined anterior and posterior wall fractures. Surgical intervention was performed in 45 cases, while 48 were managed conservatively. Among patients with moderate anterior wall fractures (4–6 mm dislocation), 80% of surgically treated patients compared to 100% of conservatively treated patients expressed satisfactionwith their cosmetic outcomes at follow-up (p = 0.03). In conservatively treated patients with a forehead impression, the anterior wall fracture dislocation ranged from 5.3 to 6.0 mm (p < 0.0001). Approximately 50% of surgically treated patients vs 15% of conservatively treated patients developed impaired forehead sensation at follow-up (p = 0.03). Thirty-six percent of surgically treated patients reported dissatisfaction with surgery-related scarring, particularly those who underwent surgery via laceration or bicoronal incision. Conclusions: This study suggests that anterior FSFs with a dislocation of 5 mm or less can be effectively managed conservatively with high patient satisfaction, low risk of long-term forehead sensation impairment and without potential development of forehead impression. Bicoronal incision or incision via a laceration may be associated with esthetic dissatisfaction and late sequelae such as alopecia. Full article

Background: Upper-face feminization is a frequently executed procedure in sexual reassignment surgery, owing to its ability to influence gender identity through adjustments to the hairline, forehead, and peri-orbital area. The procedure includes reducing the hairline, lifting the brows, shaving the orbital region, and applying specific techniques to reduce the frontal bone. This research aims to assess the outcomes, results, and potential complications associated with this surgery among transgender patients. Material and Method: Retrospective review of medical records of 20 patients who attended for facial feminization surgery of the upper face between June 2022 and June 2023, analyzing the previously performed procedures, complications and revision surgery outcomes, and first-time procedures. A literature review was performed for similar studies. Results: 20 patients were included in the study. Among the cohort treated elsewhere (n = 11), the primary complaint was insufficient browbone reduction and anterior frontal sinus table setback. They underwent poorly performed Type 1 reduction when full forehead reconstruction (Type 3/4) was indicated (n = 3), or no reduction was performed during hairline advancement (n = 4). Type 3 forehead reduction with orbital shaving and hairline advancement with simultaneous temporal browlift was most commonly performed in both revision and first-time surgical upper face feminization (n = 15) (75%). Type 1 osteoplasty was performed in four patients (10%), one Type 3 revision surgery was performed after insufficient Type 3 reduction, and one case of shock-induced alopecia was reported, treated with PRP/peptides and a FUE hair graft. Conclusions: The author’s preferred technique, ‘whole-in-one’ upper face feminization by modified bi-coronal incision with frontal trichophytic hyper-beveled incision, provides sufficient insight into the frontal bone and orbital region, the desired forehead osteoplasty and the most efficient insight into the temporal area, enabling safe dissection between fasciae, ligamentous adhesion removal, and periosteal attachment, providing full soft and hard tissue feminization. Nevertheless, feminization procedures should be meticulously planned, and all concerning issues should be addressed during the first surgery in order to prevent revisions, complications, and patient dissatisfaction. Full article

An emerging topic that has the potential to enhance user experience, reduce crime, and target advertising is human emotion recognition, utilizing DeepFace and Artificial Intelligence (AI). The same feeling may be expressed differently by many individuals. Accurately identifying emotions can be challenging, in light of this. It helps to understand an emotion’s significance by looking at the context in which it is presented. Depending on the application, one must decide which AI technology to employ for detecting human emotions. Because of things like lighting and occlusion, using it in real-world situations can be difficult. Not every human emotion can be accurately detected by technology. Human–machine interaction technology is becoming more popular, and machines must comprehend human movements and expressions. When a machine recognizes human emotions, it gains a greater understanding of human behavior and increases the effectiveness of work. Text, audio, linguistic, and facial movements may all convey emotions. Facial expressions are important in determining a person’s emotions. There has been little research undertaken on the topic of real-time emotion identification, utilizing face photos and emotions. Using an Artificial Intelligence-based DeepFace approach, the proposed method recognizes real-time feelings from facial images and live emotions of persons. The proposed module extracts the facial features from an active shape DeepFace model by identifying 26 facial points to recognize human emotions. This approach recognizes the emotions of frustration, dissatisfaction, happiness, neutrality, and wonder. The proposed technology is unique, in that it implements emotion identification in real-time, with an average accuracy of 94% acquired from actual human emotions. Full article

Prosthesis discomfort and a lack of skin-like quality is a source of patient dissatisfaction with facial prostheses. To engineer skin-like replacements, knowledge of the differences between facial skin properties and those for prosthetic materials is essential. This project measured six viscoelastic properties (percent laxity, stiffness, elastic deformation, creep, absorbed energy, and percent elasticity) at six facial locations with a suction device in a human adult population equally stratified for age, sex, and race. The same properties were measured for eight facial prosthetic elastomers currently available for clinical usage. The results showed that the prosthetic materials were 1.8 to 6.4 times higher in stiffness, 2 to 4 times lower in absorbed energy, and 2.75 to 9 times lower in viscous creep than facial skin (p < 0.001). Clustering analyses determined that facial skin properties fell into three groups—those associated with body of ear, cheek, and remaining locations. This provides baseline information for designing future replacements for missing facial tissues. Full article

Emotions play a vital role in education. Technological advancement in computer vision using deep learning models has improved automatic emotion recognition. In this study, a real-time automatic emotion recognition system is developed incorporating novel salient facial features for classroom assessment using a deep learning model. The proposed novel facial features for each emotion are initially detected using HOG for face recognition, and automatic emotion recognition is then performed by training a convolutional neural network (CNN) that takes real-time input from a camera deployed in the classroom. The proposed emotion recognition system will analyze the facial expressions of each student during learning. The selected emotional states are happiness, sadness, and fear along with the cognitive–emotional states of satisfaction, dissatisfaction, and concentration. The selected emotional states are tested against selected variables gender, department, lecture time, seating positions, and the difficulty of a subject. The proposed system contributes to improve classroom learning. Full article

With the visual turn in online communication, selfies have become common on social media. Although selfies as a way of self-representation provide people with more chances to express themselves, the adverse effects selfies could bring to users’ body image need to be treated seriously. This study tested whether selfie-viewing behaviour on social media was related to facial dissatisfaction and whether appearance comparisons played a mediating role. Moreover, the self-objectification was examined as a moderator between selfie-viewing behaviour and facial dissatisfaction via appearance comparisons. Results showed that more selfie-viewing was associated with higher facial dissatisfaction, and this relationship was mediated by appearance comparisons. The study also found that self-objectification moderated the indirect relation between selfie-viewing and facial dissatisfaction via appearance comparisons. Gender differences were also found to affect the mediation model. Our research provides new insights into the interactions between social media use and perception of body image. Full article