✨ FACIAL AGING: SKIN, FAT PADS, MUSCLES & BONES ✨ Facial aging process begins with the surface and subsurface structural changes in multiple facial tissue layers, including skin, fat, muscle and bone. Facial tissue layers age interdependently, contributing to the overall facial appearance Facial aging is due to changes in several types of tissue, including skin, fat, muscle, and bone. SKIN With age, skin undergoes several changes, Changes include: - Thinner skin - Drier skin - Less elastic skin - Skin more likely to wrinkle or sag - Reduction in collagen FAT A youthful look depends on having the right amount of facial fat in the right places. Redistribution, accumulation, and atrophy of fat lead to facial volume loss Some areas lose fat. Examples are the forehead and cheeks. Other areas gain fat. Examples are the mouth and jaw Modification of the fat pads leads to contour deficiencies In addition, the areas of the fat tend to become farther apart. Instead of a smooth, almost continuous layer, the fat pads appear as separate structures. COLLAGEN Collagen loss is a key factor in the aging process. As skin ages, the middle layer of skin (dermis) thins due to collagen loss. This reduces the skin’s ability to retain elasticity (from elastin) and moisture (from hyaluronic acid). Due to this loss of elastin and hyaluronic acid, the skin becomes: - Dryer - Less supple - Less elastic - Thinner (volume loss) BONE There is a significant loss of facial bone and age. Aging of the craniofacial skeleton may be due to changes in the relative dynamics of bone expansion and bone resorption leads to biometric volume loss. Without the structural support of bone, there are noticeable changes in the other layers of overlying soft tissue and skin. Signs of Facial Aging: - Greater visibility of bony landmarks, lines and wrinkles - Prominence of transverse forehead link - Nasolabial folds become more prominent - Hollowing of the mid-face (loose skin) - Changes in the area around the mouth (vertical wrinkles, lip thinning and flattening) - Development of prejowl depression (marionette lines)