# Why do mirrors distort things? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 17, 2004, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-mirrors-distort-things/240462 "2004-04-17T01:56:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gypsymoth3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@gypsymoth3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gypsymoth3)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-mirrors-distort-things/240462/1 "2004-04-17T01:56:54Z")
i know the light will be reflected wrong if the mirror is curved or whatever, but why is it that regular mirrors like the ones we look at every morning in the bathroom make our faces look crooked? it doesn’t seem like the whole image is skewed, but mostly just makes one’s eyes and eyebrows look crooked. why is this? are everyone’s faces just crooked? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-mirrors-distort-things/240462/2 "2004-04-17T02:02:34Z")
I’ve never noticed it. Perhaps the surface of your mirror is uneven. ---
**Author:** ![gypsymoth3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@gypsymoth3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gypsymoth3)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-mirrors-distort-things/240462/3 "2004-04-17T02:08:05Z")
no, other people have said theirs does the same. and if the mirror was uneven, then why is the image always distorted the same way no matter where i stand? ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-mirrors-distort-things/240462/4 "2004-04-17T02:14:07Z")
> [@gypsymoth3](#): > > i know the light will be reflected wrong if the mirror is curved or whatever, but why is it that regular mirrors like the ones we look at every morning in the bathroom make our faces look crooked? it doesn’t seem like the whole image is skewed, but mostly just makes one’s eyes and eyebrows look crooked. why is this? are everyone’s faces just crooked? Make up a grid on your computer and print it out. Hold it up to the mirror. If the grid isn’t distorted and your face looks to be so, the answer will become obvious. ---
**Author:** ![gypsymoth3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@gypsymoth3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gypsymoth3)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-mirrors-distort-things/240462/5 "2004-04-17T02:19:52Z")
> [@David Simmons](#): > > Make up a grid on your computer and print it out. Hold it up to the mirror. If the grid isn’t distorted and your face looks to be so, the answer will become obvious. i swear it’s not just me, and it’s not just my mirror. maybe all mirrors under $100 are just crap like this. ---
**Author:** ![SSgtBaloo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac91a4/32.png) [@SSgtBaloo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSgtBaloo)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-mirrors-distort-things/240462/6 "2004-04-17T02:21:51Z")
> [@gypsymoth3](#): > > why is this? are everyone’s faces just crooked? IANAE, but… Short answer: Yes. Long answer: Yes. Nearly everyone has some degree of asymmetry in their facial features. Longer answer: Yes. Nearly everyone has some degree of asymmetry in their facial features. This is largely the result of environment: nutrition, accidents, etc. IIRC, the degree of asymmetry is often used (subconsciously, unless it’s very extreme) in determining the attractiveness of the human face. The reason the “distortion” you are experiencing is the same no matter where you stand in relation to the mirror is that the mirror isn’t distorting anything. Don’t worry about it. Unless, of course, your mirror distorts _everyone_ the same way. That would make it an evil, magical mirror. Destroy this mirror. Now, for the good of humanity. –SSgtBaloo ---
**Author:** ![conczepts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e7dd6/32.png) [@conczepts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/conczepts)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-mirrors-distort-things/240462/7 "2004-04-17T05:14:42Z")
Your face looks different to you in pictures and mirrors because in mirrors your right and left sides are reversed. Usually people think they look “funny” in pictures because their self image is based off of what they see in the mirror.