What is Beauty?

PURPOSE

In the current study, the authors attempt to thoroughly investigate the concept of beauty from different perspectives in different historical periods and offer their personal thoughts about it.

METHODS

The authors performed a comprehensive and across-the-board literature review about 'beauty', including beauty from a philosophical perspective, beauty perception by human mind, beauty from a biopsychological perspective, beauty of the face, body and breast, models of beauty and beauty in cosmetic surgery.

RESULTS

From Plato to modern neuro-psychological studies, the concept of beauty has always been a theme for adamant debates and passionate thoughts. Different aspects of beauty, from intellectual to pure physical, have received a tremendous amount of attention. The true definition of the concept of beauty is still ambiguous, and there is not a unanimous explanation for it. It seems that the definition of beauty differs in every individual's mind and over the history of humankind.

CONCLUSION

Although beauty is a very important concept and the seek for achieving it is a very natural behavior, one must remember that the importance of beauty should not overshadow the fact that every human being is made up of similar internal organs. We strongly encourage the reader to look beyond the hedge, to be aware that each of us is made up of internal organs, beyond the external appearance. Level of Evidence V This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine Ratings, please refer to Table of Contents or online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.