Are more handsome people healthier (on genetic level)?

Submitted by grafknives t3_y67se9 in askscience

In wild animals the one that are "best looking" are said to be best fit for mating. That it has the best genes.

Think peacock tail, etc

Is similar effect present with humans? Are beautifull, handsome people more healthy, do they have "better" genes?

And also - does some superfisial "handsomeness" signs - lets say "very nice hair" sign of some deeper health advantage? Or it just hair?

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annieselkie t1_ispwf7e wrote

I have no idea in detail but: Handsomeness oftentimes is traits which say you are healthy. Eg not being starving-thin nor unhealthy obese, having nice hair and skin (enough nutrients eaten), having a youthful look (the younger you are the less likely you get ill and the better you are fit for reproducing (more so as a woman)), having a good body posture and normal body features (again, nutrients and maybe even genetical disadvantages of anatomic stuff), red cheeks meaning you are young and not ill, nice eyes again if eyes are yellowish you may be ill/malnourished... So almost everything we call handsome is a sign of healthiness and fitness. There are much more factors.

I dont know if handsome people are healthier, I doubt it as many illnesses are coincidences/mutations or due to life circumstances. But I guess you can say people who are seen as beautiful almost never have visible health-flaws such as genetic disorders or other (genetic and visible) disabilties. Evolution made us find healthy people beautiful. And young people also. Simply because thats the best way to be sure to reproduce and have your genetic material live on.

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imagineaplacelike t1_isq3ko6 wrote

It doesn't seem like those things are as consistent a signal of health for homo-sapiens. Mostly because we have more complex relationships with and perspectives on what it meant by health. One can imagine someone who is genetically very conventionally attractive but who also has a higher likelihood of developing addictions or dependencies, they might have had some slight benefit for keeping fit but have terrible mental health.

Maybe similarly there are plenty of people with a great head of hair and a sharp mind but who also hold greater propensity to neglect their physical health.

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