Your Bad Childhood Is Showing On Your Face

Facial symmetry is often equated with conventional  beauty and now it turns out that early stresses in childhood can compromise such symmetry in your adult life. A study out of the University of Edinburgh found that a lack of symmetry in the faces of adults was often linked to poor socioeconomic status in childhood.

The Huffington Post reports:

The study was based on measurements of the facial and bodily symmetry of 292 Scottish adults between the ages of 83 and 87. Participants were also asked a series of questions about their childhood that could be indicators of early stress levels — for instance, the occupation of their parents, the number of people living at home and sleeping in the same room and whether they had indoor plumbing.

The researchers found a significant correlation between poor socioeconomic status and lower facial symmetry. By contrast, low socioeconomic status later in life did not have much of an impact on a person’s facial features. The correlation was also stronger for men than women.

Bad childhood experiences are undoubtedly something that some adults spend their entire lives running from. And while getting older and accruing more distance can often allow some people to revisit their childhood with new insight, it’s troubling to know that some memories may still be reflected back at you.