Facial Bone Structure Ages Along with Skin

Graying hair, crow's feet, and sagging skin under the eyes - the mirror unkindly reminds you that you're getting older.

But did you know that the underlying structure of your face ages, too?

According to researchers at the University of Rochester, here's what happens:

• Your facial bones lose volume and recede.
• The bones of your eye socket gradually widen.
• The brow bone recedes.
• The jawbone becomes less defined.

Limits of facelift

This bone loss helps explain why getting a simple facelift, or skin tightening, won't ever make you look like your 20-year-old self.

"Patients bring in pictures and say they want to go back to that look," says Robert Shaw Jr., M.D., study author. "But they can never really go back to that look just by tightening their skin alone. If there are changes to those underlying structures, it's going to change the appearance of how the skin looks."

Although bone structure changes for both men and women, the process starts earlier for women, typically after they turn 40.

Detailed measurements

For the study, the researchers did CT scans of the facial bones in 120 men and women ages 20 to 40, 41 to 64, and 65 and older. They then created three-dimensional reconstructions of the scans, which they used to take detailed measurements of the facial bone structure.

The scans showed that with age the bones that make up the eye sockets receded, enlarging the sockets. A few less millimeters of bone for the soft tissues of the face to hold on to adds to the appearance of excess or droopy skin around the eyes.

Similar losses of volume happened in the bones of the middle face, including the brow bone, nose, and upper jaw. The loss of bone also reduced the angle of the lower jaw, which is why those with a strong jaw line in their youth may not be so well-defined in old age.

"A nice, strong jaw line is something people see as being youthful, but as you get older the angle gets more blunted," Dr. Shaw says.

Always talk with your health care provider to find out more information.