In these times when carrying a face mask in some places it has become mandatory, a Cardiff University study found that surgical and cloth face masks make you see more handsome or attractive.
The study, published in the scientific journal Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications, showed women 40 photographs of male faces wearing different types of masks and others not wearing them, and asked them to say which was more handsome.
The participants considered that those who used a face mask were significantly more attractive, which was the opposite of previous research, carried out before the pandemics, when they considered that people who used them were because they were sick and should be avoided.
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Michael Lewis, from Cardiff University’s School of Psychology, said the study suggests faces are seen as more attractive when they are covered by face mask because we are used to healthcare workers wearing masks and now we associate them with people in the caring or medical professions.
“At a time when we feel vulnerable, we may be reassured by wearing medical masks and therefore feel more positive towards the wearer,” he said.
Lewis said it was also possible that women found men in masks handsome because they possibly drew attention to the eyes, as other studies had found that covering the left or right half of the face also made people look more attractive. , in part because the brain fills in the missing gaps and exaggerates the overall impact.
Even though he face mask might make you seem more Handsome, the study warns of some disadvantages: It impairs vocal communication, avoids face-to-face interactions and affects the recognition of emotions.