# Have human faces been changing since the 20th century? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 21, 2018, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-human-faces-been-changing-since-the-20th-century/823305 "2018-10-21T22:19:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2018, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-human-faces-been-changing-since-the-20th-century/823305/21 "2018-10-22T13:15:26Z")
Why would you want to eliminate cultural bias, when the point is studying cultural bias? ---
**Author:** ![senoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@senoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/senoy)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2018, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-human-faces-been-changing-since-the-20th-century/823305/22 "2018-10-22T13:16:40Z")
I can only comment on my own family. My son looks just like me. I look just like my dad. He looks just like his dad and he looked just like his dad. My son is now 11 and you can look at ‘tween’ pictures of all of us and if you got rid of the clothing and sepia toned them all, it would be difficult to tell us apart. My wife won’t let me shave my beard because my father was always clean shaven and when I shave, I could literally be his twin and she finds it extremely creepy. My great was born in 1898, so between 1898 and today, in my family anyway, facial features haven’t changed much if any among first-born sons. ---
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2018, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-human-faces-been-changing-since-the-20th-century/823305/23 "2018-10-22T13:30:53Z")
Seems like one might actually be to study this sort of thing using quantifiable data. Facial recognition programs are becoming more sophisticated and have many hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of faces in various databases from which to quantify. They could look at some very specific things like chin length, brow height, facial width, nasal height/width, to name just a few characteristics. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2018, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-human-faces-been-changing-since-the-20th-century/823305/24 "2018-10-22T14:32:52Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > I, myself, am far more greyed and thinner than I was in 1999. You need to find the old gypsy and get him to remove the curse. ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2018, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-human-faces-been-changing-since-the-20th-century/823305/25 "2018-10-22T14:38:07Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > Oh, FACES. Never mind. I saw that as FECES. So did I!!! ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2018, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-human-faces-been-changing-since-the-20th-century/823305/26 "2018-10-22T15:47:33Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > You need to find the old gypsy and get him to remove the curse. I did and now have a really nice looking pie. I’m leaving it in the fridge right now. What’s the worst that could happen? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2018, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-human-faces-been-changing-since-the-20th-century/823305/27 "2018-10-22T16:03:58Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > I did and now have a really nice looking pie. I’m leaving it in the fridge right now. What’s the worst that could happen? Don’t be stingy, share that pie! ETA: Happy Halloween!! ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2018, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-human-faces-been-changing-since-the-20th-century/823305/28 "2018-10-22T16:28:24Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > An intrepid “investigator” agrees that human faces have been changing. > > Forrest Maready has written [a book](https://www.amazon.com/Crooked-Man-Made-Explained-incredible-microbes/dp/1983816620/ref=as_li_ss_tl) called “Crooked: Man-Made Disease Explained”, in which he expostulates on his discovery that facial features have become significantly more lopsided compared to, say, the 19th century. > > He blames it on metal toxicity, including of course exposure to vaccines. > > The polite explanation is that he’s a nutbag, but YMMV. Of course, he has an explanation in how metal-poisoning makes a face go lop-sided. :dubious: And, of course, a paper in a peer-reviewed journal. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2018, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-human-faces-been-changing-since-the-20th-century/823305/29 "2018-10-22T16:47:52Z")
Is there any of this supposed change that can’t be accounted for by the fact that people back in the day often looked far older at the same age than people do today, and that on average, people today are fatter than in the past? Combine that with different standards of hair and makeup, and I have a suspicion all can be explained without resorting to anything other than superficial differences. ---
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2018, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-human-faces-been-changing-since-the-20th-century/823305/30 "2018-10-22T17:04:45Z")
So during lunch at the library I looked at a local high school yearbook from 1898 and compared the headshot student pictures of the senior class to those from a 2009 yearbook. Probably the biggest difference was that there were several dozen double chins and plump cheeks appearing in the 2009 photos and only one student matching that description in the 1898 photos. I was also left with the impression that students looked slightly older in the 1898 photos. I noticed most had dour expressions, so maybe that had something to do with it. Also, all the students were attired more formally - all the male students were wearing shirts with collars, many appeared to be wearing jackets too. Females appeared to be wearing dresses. That too played a role in making them appear older. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2018, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-human-faces-been-changing-since-the-20th-century/823305/31 "2018-10-22T18:21:43Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Why would you want to eliminate cultural bias, when the point is studying cultural bias? Because it may vary over time. And the definition of “attractive” is different in different cultures. There’s too much subjectivity involved to make an objective decision. Are you trying to study whether faces change or whether people’s opinion of them changes? Those are two separate questions and cannot answered if considered together. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2018, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-human-faces-been-changing-since-the-20th-century/823305/32 "2018-10-22T18:32:38Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > I think changes in hair, makeup, clothing styles, and the quality of photography itself make comparisons pretty difficult between people 100 years ago and today. One big change has been modern dentistry and orthodontia - a lot less bad and/or missing teeth mean a lot more attractive faces. > > Now, photos of my parents at ages 15 and 30 show a lot more change in their appearance than photos of me at the same ages. But that 15 year time period for my parents included the Depression and World War II. You have to factor stuff like that into account, as well. I agree, 100 years may be too much time to make comparisons. From the 60s onward may offer more comparable information. I’m guessing that people look younger today than they did in the past, especially for men. Malnutrition, disease, tobacco, alcohol and industrial chemicals take a toll on people. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2018, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-human-faces-been-changing-since-the-20th-century/823305/33 "2018-10-22T18:36:05Z")
Hey! Alcohol is the only vice I have left! > [@MichaelEmouse](#): > > I agree, 100 years may be too much time to make comparisons. From the 60s onward may offer more comparable information. > > I’m guessing that people look younger today than they did in the past, especially for men. Malnutrition, disease, tobacco, alcohol and industrial chemicals take a toll on people. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2018, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-human-faces-been-changing-since-the-20th-century/823305/34 "2018-10-22T19:03:28Z")
How about 2000 years ago? The Romans liked to make accurate portrait sculptures, ‘warts and all’. I picked out a few of the best-preserved from a site with a large number of portrait busts. Some Roman women: (Except for the hairstyles, they wouldn’t look out of place in a coffee shop in Rome today.) > **[Portrait of Minatia Polla. Rome, Roman National Museum, Baths of Diocletian,...](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=7192)** > > Portrait of Minatia Polla. Marble. Ca. 40 CE. Rome, Roman National Museum, Baths of Diocletian, Aula X > **[Staia Quinta, freedwoman of Lucius. Copenhagen, New Carlsberg Glyptotek...](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=5383)** > > Staia Quinta, freedwoman of Lucius. Marble. 1st century CE. Copenhagen, New Carlsberg Glyptotek > **[Unknown woman. Rome, Roman National Museum, Palazzo Massimo alle Terme (Roma,...](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=7054)** > > Unknown woman. Luna marble. End of the 1st cent. BCE. Rome, Roman National Museum, Palazzo Massimo alle Terme > **[Roman Lady. Copenhagen, New Carlsberg Glyptotek (København, Ny Carlsberg...](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=3943)** > > Roman Lady. Marble. 30—50 CE. Height 36 cm. Copenhagen, New Carlsberg Glyptotek > **[A female portrait. Cremona, “Ala Ponzone” City Museum](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=4060)** > > A female portrait. Marble. First decades of the 3rd century CE. Cremona, “Ala Ponzone” City Museum > **[Portrait of a woman (Otacilia Severa?). New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=3729)** > > Portrait of a woman (Otacilia Severa?). Marble. Mid-3rd century CE. New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art > **[Portrait of a middle-aged woman. Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania...](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=2882)** > > Portrait of a middle-aged woman. Marble. 10—20 CE. Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology > **[Portrait bust of a Flavian woman. Rome, Capitoline Museums, Palazzo Nuovo,...](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=3496)** > > Portrait bust of a Flavian woman. Marble. Ca. 90 CE. Rome, Capitoline Museums, Palazzo Nuovo, Hall of the Emperors > **[Vestalis Maxima (close-up). Rome, Roman National Museum, Baths of Diocletian,...](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=6483)** > > Vestalis Maxima (close-up). Greek marble. Second quarter of 2nd cent. CE. Rome, Roman National Museum, Baths of Diocletian, Chiostro piccolo della Certosa Some men (a few with prominent Roman noses): > **[A Roman. Copenhagen, New Carlsberg Glyptotek (København, Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek)](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=2395)** > > A Roman. Marble. Ca. 150—160 CE. Copenhagen, New Carlsberg Glyptotek > **[Portrait of an unknown man. Rome, Capitoline Museums, Centrale Montemartini...](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=6259)** > > Portrait of an unknown man. Marble. Mid-3rd cent. CE. Rome, Capitoline Museums, Centrale Montemartini Museum, II. 96 > **[Roman. Copenhagen, New Carlsberg Glyptotek (København, Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek)](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=2340)** > > Roman. Marble. 30—50 CE. Height 45 cm. Copenhagen, New Carlsberg Glyptotek > **[Portrait of an old man. Rome, Vatican Museums, Chiaramonti Museum, XXXV. 17...](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=4193)** > > Portrait of an old man. Marble. First half of the 1st century BCE. Rome, Vatican Museums, Chiaramonti Museum, XXXV. 17 > **[Roman portrait of an unknown male. Boston, Museum of Fine Arts](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=2732)** > > Roman portrait of an unknown male. Marble. Mid-3rd century. Boston, Museum of Fine Arts > **[Cicero. Florence, Uffizi Gallery (Firenze, Galleria degli Uffizi)](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=869)** > > Cicero. Marble. 1st century BCE. Florence, Uffizi Gallery > **[The so-called portrait of Corbulo. Rome, Capitoline Museums, Centrale...](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=6155)** > > The so-called portrait of Corbulo. Parian marble. 1st cent. BCE. Rome, Capitoline Museums, Centrale Montemartini Museum, I. 55 > **[A priest of Isis (so-called Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus). Rome,...](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=4623)** > > A priest of Isis (so-called Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus). Marble. Inscription is modern. Rome, Capitoline Museums, Palazzo Nuovo, Gallery > **[Portrait bust of a priest. Christie’s Fine Art Auction House, New York](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=2837)** > > Portrait bust of a priest. Marble. Ca. early 2nd century. Height 42.5 cm. Christie’s Fine Art Auction House, New York > **[Male portrait. Munich, Glyptotek (München, Glyptotek)](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=7773)** > > Male portrait. Marble. 110—120 CE. Height 48.5 cm. Munich, Glyptotek > **[Male portrait. Munich, Glyptotek (München, Glyptotek)](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=7776)** > > Male portrait. Marble. 110—120 CE. Munich, Glyptotek > **[Herm with a portrait head. Rome, Capitoline Museums, Palazzo Nuovo, Gallery...](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=4815)** > > Herm with a portrait head. 2nd century CE. Rome, Capitoline Museums, Palazzo Nuovo, Gallery Some youngsters: > **[Portrait of a child. Boston, Museum of Fine Arts](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=4265)** > > Portrait of a child. Carrara marble. Ca. 200 CE. The base (barely visible) was added in the 18th or 19th century. Boston, Museum of Fine Arts > **[Portrait of an youth (the so-called “Lange youth”). Moscow, Pushkin State...](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=6632)** > > Portrait of an youth (the so-called “Lange youth”). Marble. Early 1st cent. CE. Moscow, Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts > **[Portrait of a boy. New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=4384)** > > Portrait of a boy. Bronze. Ca. 50—68 CE. Total height 29.2 cm. New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art ---
**Author:** ![Contemplation](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Contemplation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contemplation)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2018, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-human-faces-been-changing-since-the-20th-century/823305/35 "2018-10-22T20:41:23Z")
> [@GreenWyvern](#): > > How about 2000 years ago? > > The Romans liked to make accurate portrait sculptures, ‘warts and all’. I picked out a few of the best-preserved from a site with a large number of portrait busts. > Some Roman women: > > (Except for the hairstyles, they wouldn’t look out of place in a coffee shop in Rome today.) > > [http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=7192](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=7192) > > [http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=5383](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=5383) > > [http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=7054](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=7054) > > [http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=3943](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=3943) > > [http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=4060](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=4060) > > [http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=3729](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=3729) > > [http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=2882](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=2882) > > [http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=3496](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=3496) > > [http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=6483](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=6483) > Some men (a few with prominent Roman noses): > > [http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=2395](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=2395) > > [http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=6259](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=6259) > > [http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=2340](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=2340) > > [http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=4193](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=4193) > > [http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=2732](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=2732) > > [http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=869](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=869) > > [http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=6155](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=6155) > > [http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=4623](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=4623) > > [http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=2837](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=2837) > > [http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=7773](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=7773) > > [http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=7776](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=7776) > > [http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=4815](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=4815) > Some youngsters: > > [http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=4265](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=4265) > > [http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=6632](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=6632) > > [http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=4384](http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=4384) Most of the women’s faces in those sculptures have straighter profiles than what I usually see today. Modern women seem to have have faces that project forward more. But this probably has everything to do with the location and ethnicity of those specific Roman people. Or maybe it was because straight-vertical faces were considered more beautiful at that time. ---
**Author:** ![xnylder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bbce88/32.png) [@xnylder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xnylder)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2018, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-human-faces-been-changing-since-the-20th-century/823305/36 "2018-10-22T20:53:33Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > I think changes in hair, makeup, clothing styles, and the quality of photography itself make comparisons pretty difficult between people 100 years ago and today. One big change has been modern dentistry and orthodontia - a lot less bad and/or missing teeth mean a lot more attractive faces. These have got to be some of the most important factors contributing to a perception of faces changing over the decades. To expand on makeup: The vast majority of Western women only started wearing “visible” (not natural-looking) makeup in the 1920s. If an alien was to compare pictures of silent film starlets to actresses of today, they might wonder why women’s eyes got smaller and less round while their lips expanded. Skillful makeup application doesn’t just enhance existing features, it can diminish or shift those that aren’t considered as attractive by current fashion. And when makeup isn’t enough, there’s always plastic surgery, which also grew into common use in the twentieth century. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2018, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-human-faces-been-changing-since-the-20th-century/823305/37 "2018-10-22T20:57:13Z")
> [@mistymage](#): > > …president Donald J Trump with that weird growth on his head. I’ve got bad news for you. The weird growth _is_ his head. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2018, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-human-faces-been-changing-since-the-20th-century/823305/38 "2018-10-23T10:43:18Z")
I always think that men in old photos seem to have unnaturally smooth skin (assuming they are clean-shaven). But that might just be a resolution issue. Examples: [![](https://i.pinimg.com/236x/00/91/75/009175782311f7b0be9405ac77b811c2--photographer-logo-victorian-photography.jpg) ](https://i.pinimg.com/236x/00/91/75/009175782311f7b0be9405ac77b811c2--photographer-logo-victorian-photography.jpg) [![](https://i.etsystatic.com/6667367/r/il/2218ca/1253360825/il_570xN.1253360825_lrlg.jpg) ](https://i.etsystatic.com/6667367/r/il/2218ca/1253360825/il_570xN.1253360825_lrlg.jpg) [![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DJzvunyh6_U/W2u4TxMvLMI/AAAAAAADQJ0/325y3xOpIzcgM_2NS6KeS6iFBiu6I_n3gCLcBGAs/s1600/victorian-mustache-men.jpg) ](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DJzvunyh6_U/W2u4TxMvLMI/AAAAAAADQJ0/325y3xOpIzcgM_2NS6KeS6iFBiu6I_n3gCLcBGAs/s1600/victorian-mustache-men.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2018, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-human-faces-been-changing-since-the-20th-century/823305/39 "2018-10-23T10:48:21Z")
You can easily see the under-the-eyes wrinkles (I know that’s not the right word but I hope you understand what I mean), specially in the middle photo. It’s possible that some of them are simply younger than you think (I’d peg several of those guys as low to mid twenties). There may also be other factors, such as no medicalized steroids in the food and, for those in rural areas, clean air. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2018, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-human-faces-been-changing-since-the-20th-century/823305/40 "2018-10-23T11:18:35Z")
All of the following have an influence on physical appearance: Hairstyles are different than 100 years ago. Fashions are different. Weight gain is different. Fitness and health is different. Cross-pollination of races are different\*. Also: Teens aren’t going to war and prematurely ageing. Smoking has reduced, especially exposure to second-hand smoke. Diets have improved; Not just reduced fat content, but quality of ingredients and awareness of caloric intake. Skin care, hair health, and dental hygiene has been a quiet revolution. Lives last averagely longer. However: Stress has increased. Drug abuse is chronic. It all makes a difference. \*_marginally_ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-human-faces-been-changing-since-the-20th-century/823305.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-human-faces-been-changing-since-the-20th-century/823305.md?page=3)