Expert Panel Recommends Diversity-Informed Standards for Facial Aesthetic Assessment

A multidisciplinary panel of dermatologic and aesthetic experts led by American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS) president Kavita Mariwalla, MD, is calling for a shift away from Western-centric beauty norms toward more culturally inclusive, patient-centric facial assessment tools. The recommendations, published in a December supplement to Dermatologic Surgery, emphasize the importance of incorporating diverse aesthetic ideals into clinical practice amid shifting global demographics and patient expectations.

The panel, composed of 9 dermatologists, plastic surgeons, and oculoplastic specialists, conducted a review of current facial assessment literature alongside 2021–2022 market research on aesthetic preferences among various racial, ethnic, and gender groups. Their findings underscore the limitations of traditional tools grounded in neoclassical proportions, which often fail to reflect the priorities and perceptions of today’s aesthetic patients.

To address this gap, the authors propose the Galderma Facial Assessment Scale, a 5-domain evaluation framework encompassing skin quality, facial shape, proportions, symmetry, and expression. Designed to be adaptable across cultural contexts, the scale enables clinicians to balance objective assessment with individualized treatment goals.

“Modern aesthetic assessment must move beyond neoclassical norms toward individualized, diversity aware, and evidence-based evaluation,” the authors wrote, adding the tools such as the Facial Assessment Scale "enable clinicians to achieve holistic, culturally sensitive, and patient-aligned treatment planning.”