This was an observational type of study carried out from March 2018 to January 2020 over 535 male students of following colleges as shown in [Table/Fig-1]. After getting due approval from both the Institutes: Prakash Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Urun-Islampur (Ref No.-PSM/PIMSR/24013/2018) and Sumandeep Vidyapeeth University, Vadodara, Gujarat, India (SVIEC/IN/MEDI/PHD/18004) the study was conducted. NOC letter was obtained from Dean/Principal of respective college. The procedure and purpose of the study was explained to the participants and then written consent was obtained from them.

Inclusion and Exclusion criteria: All the participants were residing in the respective city from their forefathers, after taking personal and family history in brief with an age range of 18-20 years were included. This age group was selected because development of face has been completed at 18 years. Students who were not resident of Western Maharashtra were excluded from the study. Individuals with normal craniofacial configuration were selected and those who were having background of genetically transmitted disorders like cleft lip, cleft palate were also excluded from the study.

Calibrated Standard Vernier calliper (30 centimetre length with accuracy of 0.01 mm) was used to take facial measurements. All the facial soft tissue landmarks were first marked with the help of skin marking pencil and then the measurements were taken in sitting position by the author by standing in front of the participants. Keeping the left hand on the head of the subject and holding the tip of upper arm of the calliper with thumb and index finger on the marked point of face and sliding the lower arm of calliper in upward direction up to desired marking so that the tip just touches the desired point. Participants were asked to remain quiet with erect neck with gently closed lips and avoid talking or laughing while taking measurements. All the facial measurements were taken in millimetres.

The following facial measurements were taken-

2a) Facial Height/length (n-mn/gn)- distance between nasion (n) to menton (mn/gn); 2b) Facial width/breadth- distance between right and left zygion (zy-zy); 2c) Height/Length of nose (n-sn)- distance between nasion (n) to subnasale (sn); 2d) Width of nose (al-al)- distance between right and left alar of nose [Table/Fig-2a-d].

[Table/Fig-2]:

a) Showing measurement of face height (n-mn); b) Showing measurement of face width (zy-zy); c) Shows height of nose (n-sn); d) Shows width of nose (al-al).

Facial index: Face length (n-mn/gn)/Face width (zy-zy)×100.

It is called as prosopic facial index and different face types were categorised according to Banister classification [6] in the text book of medical anthropometry by Farkas LG in Anthropometric facial proportion in Medicine [7] which are as follows:

1) Hypereuriprosopic (very broad face)- when the facial index is lesser than or equal to 79.9 [Table/Fig-3]. [Table/Fig-3-7]:

Different types of faces. (Image from left to right)

2) Euriprosopic (broad face)- when the facial index is between 80 to 84.9 [Table/Fig-4].

3) Mesoprosopic (round face)- when the facial index is between 85 to 89.9 [Table/Fig-5].

4) Leptoprosopic (long face)- when the facial index is between 90 to 95 [Table/Fig-6].

5) Hyperleptoprosopic (very long face)- when the facial index is above 95 [Table/Fig-7].

Nasal index: Width of nose (al-al)/Length of nose (n-sn)×100.

Paul Topinard (1830-1911) defined the nasal index [8]. On the basis of this index, the following three types of noses were categorised:

All the collected data were subjected to appropriate statistical analysis (mean, standard deviation). It was analysed by using descriptive statistics. Software used was R statistical software with 3.5 version.

Mean face height (142.54 mm), face width (125.85 mm), nose height (52.76 mm) and nose width (38.27 mm) are shown in [Table/Fig-8] with standard deviation. The study results showed that mean facial index in Western Maharashtrian males was 89.51 with standard deviation 4.26 and mean nasal index was 72.84 with standard deviation 6.86 [Table/Fig-9].

The dominant type of male face was leptoprosopic (46.73%). Similarly, the dominant nose type was mesorrhine (63.74%) followed by leptorrhine (34.02%) [Table/Fig-10,11].

The present study results showed the predominant face type of Western Maharashtrian males was leptoprosopic. It correlates with study done in South Indian and North Indian population by Ashwini C et al., [9]. It is also in conformity with Uttarakhand males by Ansari S et al., [10]. It contradicts with males in Haryana by Anand S et al., and with Gujarati males by Kanan U et al., [11,12].

From [Table/Fig-12], it was clear that Serbian male (Jeremic D et al.,) showed similar face type with Western Maharashtrian males while Nepali males (Pandey N et al.,), Malay males (Yesmin T et al.,) and Turkish males (Ozsahm E et al.,) were having different face type than males in present study [9-16].

Present study showed the mean nasal index in Western Maharashtrian males was 72.84 and predominant nose type was mesorrhine. It correlates with the males of Sindhis in Rajasthan (Choudhary A and Choudhary DS), of Jammu and Kashmir (Jabeen N et al.,), of Karnataka and Kerala (Shivananad ND et al.,), of Uttar Pradesh (Ray SK et al.,), and Santhals of West Bengal (Shah MRI et al.,) in India whereas contradicts Jats in Rajasthan (Choudhary and Choudhary DS) [2] and Bengalis in West Bengal (Shah MRI et al.,) in India [Table/Fig-13] [2,4,17-21].

The nose of Western Maharashtrian males correlates with Nigerian males (Mohammad I et al.,) but different from Indonesian male nose type Asthuta AR and Pradiptha IPY [20,21].

From the above results, it is clear that face types and nose type helps to determine the characteristic racial features. Present study results will help surgeons in facial reconstructive surgery and so, also in rhinoplasty of males.

As the study is focussed on only five cities of Western Maharashtra, the results of it cannot be generalised to whole of Western Maharashtra. More extensive work is required for generalisation.

Certain human facial features are commonly found among certain racial groups or in any specific geographical place. By finding out such a specific face type will help in reconstructive and facial plastic surgeries. Furthermore, extensive study is required in this field to establish all the parameters of face. From this study, it is concluded that majority of Western Maharashtrian males were having leptoprosopic type of face 46.73% and mesorrhine type of nose (63.74%).