There are notable variations in
visual human physical appearance from person to person. People are acutely sensitive to differences in human physical appearance.
Male and
female appearances are perceived as different, although
homo sapiens have a very low level of
sexual dimorphism compared with most other species. Some people have traditionally linked difference in personal appearance with "
race" (but this is a controversial and sensitive matter).
Some differences in human appearance are genetic, others are the result of age or disease, and many are the result of personal adornment.
Differences in human physical appearance include:
Notable variations in appearance which are more or less by choice include:
- clothing, including headgear, footwear, belt and suspenders; some clothing molds body parts into a desired shape, notably the corset, or adjust their position, like the bra and tight men's underpants;
- haircut, dreadlocks, braids, pony tail[?], wig, decorative hairpins, hairband, the way the hair is combed or otherwise arranged, or disarranged; also hair color can be changed;
- facial hair (beard, moustache, including fakes)
- cosmetics, stage makeup, body paintings[?]
- browning or reddening of the skin by sunshine or sun-lamp/solarium, sunburn
- body modifications (as far as not covered by clothing) such as:
- further objects worn as decoration, such as a necklaces, bracelets, rings
Objects that change appearance, and are used to rectify or heal body imperfections and injuries:
Ditto for which there is a less visible alternative (so they are more or less by choice):
Other functional objects, temporarily attached to the body:
Temporary changes include blushing, tears and an erection; each can be embarrassing, but in other circumstances the absence of an erection can be embarrassing.
See also Beauty, Fashion, Social role of hair, Vanity, human sexual attractiveness[?]