Expert: Ralph Salier - 12/3/2007

Question
Dear sir, I am African (black), from Ghana to be precise and I have no cheek bones at all. When I smile there's just round piece of meat under my eyes. And this makes me sad, as i find it impossible to be beautiful or good looking without cheekbones. And especially since black people have cheek bones, i wander why i don't have any. Why is it that i don't have cheekbones and I am black african. Also people of my race find a broader face to be much more attractive or beautiful than a face that is narrow. And i don't have a broad face either. I have a narrow face. Why is a broad face beautiful and a narrow face ugly?
I have been wandering about all these questions for a very long time, and was surprised that i would find answers to it on the internet. I know this to be pointless, but it bothers me and i would really like to have answers. Thank you.

Answer
Hi Lauren,

All people have cheek bones or zygomatic arches.  These bones make up the lower part of the eye socket and and part of the upper maxilary (dental) arch.
In some peoples the zygomatic arch is sometimes wider or more protruding which gives the face a wider or more protruding aspect.  For some cultures this is desireable but in others it is not.  Each cultural group has its own view of what is "beauty" and "ugly" where in different cultures these would be desireable.  So, in some cultures scarification is viewed as a form of beautification or tightly plaited hair or painting oneself with colored mud can also be considered in the same way but this is not desired in all places.

You think of yourself as something other then beautiful because of the expections of your culture.  I have never met you, I do not know what you look like but I know others from Ghana and to me beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Thus, you must be beautiful and should not be ashamed of your appearance. Be proud of who you are and how you look.  Be YOU, don't worry about what others may think.  YOU are not them. You are YOU.  And You are a beautiful person.

I am white, no hair on the top of my head, a beard, blue eyes, fat. Yet, I do not view myself as ugly, I am hot beautiful but was able to find a wife.  My children on the hand are beautiful but then I am biased. As an anthropologist I veiw all peoples as unique. No one is ugly in my eyes.