What Is the Gonial Angle and How Do You Measure It?

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Looksmaxxing authority Austin Wayne explains the gonial angle and how it affects your facial aesthetics

Co-authored by Austin Wayne and Elaine Heredia, BA

Last Updated: March 17, 2026 Fact Checked

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• Gonial Angle Explained
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• How to Measure
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• Ideal Angle
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• Can you change it?

|Show more |Show less

If you're at all familiar with the looksmaxxing community on TikTok or Reddit, you may have already heard of the gonial angle. It's one of the many metrics Looksmaxxers use to rate their own attractiveness, but it's also important to other communities, like transgender folks. In an exclusive interview, we spoke to an aesthetics and looksmaxxing authority to find out what the gonial angle is and the ideal angle for men and women. Discover his answers and other helpful information, like how to measure your gonial angle, in the article below!

What is the gonial angle?

Aesthetics and looksmaxxing authority Austin Wayne says the gonial angle is the angle of the corner of your jaw. It's a popular metric for rating attractiveness in the looksmaxxing community. An acute, square gonial angle (100-120°) is considered masculine, while a wide, soft angle (120-140°) is considered feminine.

Steps

Section 1 of 4:

Gonial Angle Explained

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   The gonial angle is the angle of the corner of your jaw. Wayne says you can find the gonial angle in the corner of your jaw, next to your ear. The more acute this angle is, the more squared the jaw looks from the side. Conversely, the wider the gonial angle is, the softer and fuller the jaw appears. Sharp, squared jaws are generally viewed as more masculine, says Wayne, while soft jaws are usually perceived as more feminine.

   Meet the wikiHow Expert

   Austin Wayne is an aesthetics and looksmaxxing authority with 9 years of experience in fitness, aesthetics, and self-improvement. He's also an ACE-certified professional trainer and model.
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   Gonial angle is a metric of attractiveness in the looksmaxxing community. This online group of (mostly) men and women is all about looking as conventionally attractive as humanly possible. The gonial angle is one of the arbitrary metrics they use to rate their attractiveness.

   • Looksmaxxers use "high gonial angle" to refer to a steeply angled jawline, and "low gonial angle" to refer to a straighter jawline.
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   Gonial angles are also important to some members of the trans community. For example, in this Instagram video by @doctorkriya, plastic surgeon Dr. Kriya Gishen explains how she shaves her patients' jawbones as part of feminization surgery. Feminization is an aesthetic procedure that helps make a masculine-looking person appear more feminine.

   • On the other hand, people who want to look more masculine (masculinization) can do so by getting jaw implants.
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Section 2 of 4:

Measuring Your Gonial Angle

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   Look in the mirror and hold a protractor to your face. Center the circle at the bottom middle of the protractor over the corner of your jaw, below your ear. Align the bottom of the protractor with your jawline.
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   Imagine a line from the center of the protractor to the top of your mandible. The mandible is the top of the jawbone and ends right next to your ear. Check the angle on the protractor that aligns with this imaginary line.
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Section 3 of 4:

What is the ideal gonial angle?

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1. 
   Some say the ideal angle is 100-120° for men and 120-140° for women. These ranges are based on the average gonial angles for both genders. On the other hand, Wayne believes there's no "right or wrong gonial angle." This is a controversial take in the looksmaxxing community because the whole point of looksmaxxing is achieving an ideal standard. But Wayne says if you're a man with a softer, more "feminine" gonial angle, you should just roll with it. The same goes for women with sharper, more "masculine" gonial angles.

Section 4 of 4:

Can you change your gonial angle?

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   Yes, you can change your gonial angle with fillers or surgery. If you have a thick, square jawline, a plastic surgeon may be able to shave some of the bone to increase (soften) the angle. This can help you achieve a more conventionally feminine appearance. If you have a delicate, angled jawline, implants can add bulk and make you appear more traditionally masculine. Finally, if you have an uneven, jowly jawline from old age or weight loss, your surgeon may be able to inject hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers into your jaw to make it appear fuller.

   • You can look as masculine or feminine (or neither) as you want, no matter what your gonial angle is! Looksmaxxing metrics are largely arbitrary and superficial, so you definitely shouldn't change your looks solely because of them.
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   Everyone's gonial angle can change as they age. People age 40 and over tend to lose bone, fat, and skin elasticity as a natural part of aging. When you lose bone and fat in your jaw, your gonial angle might appear more angular and uneven.
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