ABSTRACT
In the ‘Introduction’ to this book I recognised the privileged status of the face by pointing out that, not only do we eat, drink, breathe, and talk with it, it has also been referred to as an indicator of identity, the mirror of emotions, and the major contributor to physical attractiveness. In view of these claims-and perhaps as a result of these claims-the face is the part of the body that we are most likely to alter, to redefine or transform our ‘selves’ according to a particular standard. However, I have also cautioned that the standard or standards that we may aspire to are often based on idealised templates and embellished images of perfection, beyond the physical confines of flesh and blood.
