Your Face Shape Tells Your Age

How Does Your Face Change With Age?

Creating a fuller/heavier look in the bottom half - from the lower face to the neck area. That once angular jaw line we used to have seems to blend in with our chin and neck.

Without facial cosmetic surgery, our face shape changes in ways that make us look older and more tired but it’s not all due to thinning skin or lack of collagen -- as previously thought.

A new study found that major changes in the fat pockets in our face, cause us to take on an older appearance.

These individual compartment are separated from each other, but are all held together within fibrous connective tissue.

For Example:

The fat pockets in the cheek area shrink with age. As a result the excess skin folds -- causing what’s called the nasolabial folds (these are the lines or folds that run down on either side of the nose to the mouth). In addition, this lack of volume also causes the under eye and upper lip area start to look older too.

How Does Your Face Change As You Age

But, as we age, these compartments change in different ways. As a result, we lose that smooth transition and begin to develop hollow pockets and loose skin – our face takes on a different shape. Changing from a triangle to a rectangle or trapezoid shape – giving us a sagging, droopy, older look.

The major changes that most of us notice are the hollows under the eye, nasolabial folds, hollows of the cheeks and sagging/droopy jowl lines.

Scientist also feel the shrinking of certain fat compartments are a major contributor to loose and sagging skin – even more so then skin thinning and a reduction in collage production. Not to say that these factors don’t play a role in our face shape too.

These new findings will probably have an impact on the types of methods used for a cosmetic facelift surgery in the future many plastic surgeons will either add or reposition fat pockets, instead of just tightening and removing loose skin -- thus achieve more natural face lifts.

And while cosmetic fillers such -- as restylane injections and juvederm -- are a popular facial rejuvenating procedure, scientists suspect that specific techniques, such as fat replacement fillers, will be developed including those used to fill the deep fat pockets in the face.

Face Shape - Alternatives to a Face Lift

The cosmetic fillers available today, like Restylane Injections and Juvederm are safe and effective -- which make them a pretty good option. However, the cost is the major draw back anywhere from $600 - $1,000 per session and most fillers don't last very long -- 3-6 months. Same with face lift costs -- they can run between $6,000-$10,000 for just a mini face lift procedure.

Face Exercises - Natural Face Lift Alternative

Until longer lasting, better priced cosmetic fillers become available, consider replacing lost facial firmness and fullness with increased muscle - by doing face exercises.

Want to see something interesting?

Click on the interactive muscle chart to the left to see exactly which muscles affect the different parts of the face.

Then just slide your cursor over any part of the colored chart and see which muscles are engaged when doing facial exercises!

Studies have proven the beneficial effects of facial exercise. They're free, safe and you’ll gain a more youthful natural face shape without a plastic surgery face lift.

Many people have seen results in as little as a few weeks. The more you do them, the faster your results. So when you try something new - you get too see the results much faster.