[AnAmericanMother]

circa 1846

1860

I am not seeing it in the pre-war photos. There's some facial asymmetry, but it appears to be within normal limits.

The distortion in later photographs is probably stress or an incipient stroke (you know he was stressed out).

[jonascord]

You make a good point, but also observe how his mole flips from right to left, depending on the photo. A common problem with Civil War era photographs, is whether or not it's reversed.

The best way I've found is to look at the lock on the rifle most of the subjects are holding. It's a tell-tale of orientation.

[KosmicKitty]

I don’t see Lincoln as being bad looking at all. Look at his eyes.

But I do go for rugged looking men.

[Patriotic1]

I thought the 1846 picture was not definitively confirmed to be him.