The Asian face tends to be relatively large, wide, and flat when compared with the Occidental. The cheek bones (malar portion of the maxillary A and zygoma B) may be more prominent, as may be the jaw bone (mandible C). In females, an overdeveloped cheek bone or jaw bone is sometimes seen as making the face look more masculine.

At the same time, the forehead may be comparatively flat or even retruded, or pushed inward. The chin may be less developed, flat, or retruded.

Asian facial plastic surgery bone contouring is undertaken to improve the balance between these four areas and make the face appear smaller and more delicate, both in lateral profile and also when viewed from straight ahead.