ABSTRACT
Facial aging is a dynamic process involving the aging of soft tissue and bony structures.
Much is known in regards to how the face loses volume as the soft tissue structures
age. Epidermal thinning and the decrease in collagen cause skin to lose its elasticity.
Loss of fat, coupled with gravity and muscle pull, leads to wrinkling and the formation
of dynamic lines.
The aging process has also been shown to affect the facial bones. Multiple studies
suggest that the bony aging of the orbit and midface is a process primarily of contraction
and morphologic change. This loss of bony volume and projection may contribute to
the aged appearance. In this review, we will demonstrate how specific soft tissue
and bony aspects of the face change with age in both genders and what impact these
structural changes may have on overall facial aesthetics.
KEYWORDS
Facial aging - facial volume - facial bones - facial fat
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David M KahnM.D.
Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of General Surgery
Stanford University Medical Center, 770 Welch Road, Palo Alto, CA 94304
Email: david.kahn@stanford.edu
