TAKING the Pill has a surprising side-effect according to research: it changes the type of face that a woman finds attractive. British scientists have discovered that women on the Pill have different ideals of male sexual attractiveness to those who are not taking oral contraceptives. The remarkable effect, identified by psychologists of the Perception Lab at the University of St Andrews, appears to stem from the way the Pill mimics the hormonal effects of pregnancy. Similarly strong preferences for male faces with a healthy glow, over those with pallid features, were also found among pregnant women and those in the less fertile phase of the menstrual cycle, suggesting that the female hormone progesterone is responsible. The pattern of raised progesterone levels typically seen during pregnancy may trigger an internal mechanism that has evolved to protect expectant mothers against contact with disease, the researchers said. Women with this hormone profile also preferred female faces that look healthier, indicating that they may be subconsciously seeking to avoid ill people who might infect them and endanger their unborn children. The findings, from a team led by Ben Jones and David Perrett, add to growing evidence that fluctuating hormone levels contribute substantially to people’s notions of who is attractive. Previous research by the group, for example, has shown that women are more attracted to typical masculine facial features at the most fertile points of the menstrual cycle.
