The Scientific Truth: Do Faces Get Wider with Age?

According to extensive research, facial aging is a complex, three-dimensional process involving the skin, fat, muscle, and bone. This holistic transformation leads many to question: do faces get wider with age? While it may appear so, the reality involves a cascade of changes that reconfigure the face's underlying structure and soft tissues, rather than a simple outward expansion.

Quick Summary

Faces do not simply grow wider with age; instead, the appearance of increased width, especially in the lower face, is caused by a multi-layered aging process involving bone resorption, shifting fat pads, and sagging skin. This inverts the youthful 'triangle' of the face, creating a broader, heavier lower half.

Key Points

• Facial Width Illusion: The appearance of a wider face with age is an illusion caused by the downward migration of fat and soft tissue, not actual bone growth.

• Bone Resorption: The facial skeleton undergoes bone loss and remodeling over time, reducing the support for overlying soft tissues and contributing to sagging.

• Fat Pad Migration: Facial fat pads lose volume and shift downward, moving from the upper and middle face to collect in the lower jawline and chin.

• Inverted 'Triangle of Youth': As the lower face becomes heavier and the upper face loses volume, the youthful facial triangle inverts, creating a squarer appearance.

• Combined Causes: The effects of gravity, loss of collagen and elastin, and changes to bone and fat all work together to alter the face's shape with age.

• Management is Possible: While aging is natural, lifestyle choices, skincare, and cosmetic procedures can help manage and reduce the visible effects of these changes.

The Scientific Truth Behind Facial Widening

While the feeling that your face is getting wider with age is a common observation, the underlying cause is more nuanced than simple growth. The perception of increased facial width stems from a complex interplay of changes affecting all layers of the face. In youth, the face is often characterized by a 'triangle of beauty,' with high cheekbones and a narrow chin. With age, this triangle inverts, creating a 'pyramid of aging' with a broader, heavier lower face. This shift is influenced by changes in the skeletal foundation, the movement and loss of facial fat, and the decline of skin elasticity.

The Role of Bone Remodeling

Perhaps the most surprising factor in facial aging is the change to the underlying skeletal structure. Far from being a static frame, the facial bones undergo significant remodeling over a lifetime through a process of resorption. Studies show that with age, key areas of the facial skeleton change shape and dimension:

• Orbital Expansion: The eye sockets widen and lengthen, which can make the eyes appear more sunken.
• Midface Resorption: The cheekbones, or zygomatic bones, experience bone loss, leading to a flatter, less prominent midface.
• Jawline and Chin Changes: The lower jaw (mandible) and chin can shrink and lose definition. This loss of support allows the overlying soft tissues to sag and descend, contributing to the appearance of jowls and a heavier lower face.

Fat Pad Redistribution and Loss

Beneath the skin lies a series of fat pads that give the face its youthful volume and smooth contours. As we age, these fat pads change in two crucial ways:

1. Volume Loss: The fat pads in the upper and middle face, including the cheeks and temples, gradually lose volume. This loss is a key reason for the hollows that form under the eyes and the flattening of the cheeks.
2. Downward Migration: The remaining fat and soft tissues are no longer held firmly in place by a taut network of collagen and elastin. Gravity pulls these tissues downward, causing them to accumulate in the lower parts of the face, such as around the mouth (marionette lines) and along the jawline (jowls). This concentration of tissue in the lower third of the face significantly contributes to the perception of a wider, heavier look.

Declining Skin and Muscle Tone

Alongside the deeper structural shifts, the more visible changes to skin and muscle exacerbate the effect of facial widening. The loss of collagen and elastin—the proteins responsible for skin firmness and elasticity—means the skin is less able to resist the pull of gravity. The muscles that support facial features also weaken over time, providing less support for the overlying soft tissue. This combination leads to:

• Sagging Cheeks and Jowls: The descending fat and soft tissue accumulate in the lower face, creating visible jowls and a softer jawline.
• Deepening Folds: The shift in tissue creates prominent folds like the nasolabial folds (from the nose to the mouth) and marionette lines (from the mouth corners to the chin).
• Thinner, Less Elastic Skin: Reduced skin quality makes wrinkles and laxity more apparent, compounding the visual impact of the underlying structural changes.

Comparison: Youthful vs. Aged Facial Structure

Feature	Youthful Face	Aged Face
Face Shape	Upside-down triangle or heart-shaped, with fullness in the cheeks and a tapered jawline.	Upright pyramid or square-shaped, with a heavier, broader lower face.
Cheeks	High, full, and defined.	Flatter and sag downward due to fat and bone loss.
Jawline	Firm and well-defined.	Softer, with visible jowls and a less defined contour.
Fat Distribution	Evenly distributed, giving the face a plump, smooth appearance.	Fat migrates downwards, creating hollows under the eyes and bulges in the lower face.
Bone Structure	Strong, with high cheekbones and projected features.	Bone resorption leads to a diminished skeleton, reducing support for soft tissues.

Lifestyle and Prevention Strategies

While some aspects of facial aging are genetic, many lifestyle factors can influence the rate of change. Taking a proactive approach can help mitigate the effects:

1. Healthy Diet and Hydration: A nutrient-rich diet and proper hydration support overall skin health and can minimize puffiness caused by water retention.
2. Weight Management: Significant weight fluctuations, particularly weight gain, can add fat to the face. Maintaining a healthy weight helps prevent excess facial fat accumulation.
3. Sun Protection: Sun damage is one of the most significant external factors contributing to skin aging, breaking down collagen and elastin. Regular use of sunscreen is crucial.
4. Avoid Smoking: The chemicals in cigarette smoke accelerate the breakdown of collagen and elastin, leading to premature aging and sagging.
5. Targeted Treatments: For those seeking to address more specific concerns, options range from non-invasive fillers that restore lost volume to surgical procedures that resuspend sagging tissues.

Can Facial Exercises Make a Difference?

Some people turn to facial exercises, or “face yoga,” to combat the signs of aging. While these exercises may help strengthen and tone facial muscles, giving the skin a temporarily firmer appearance, there is limited scientific evidence to suggest they can significantly alter fat distribution or prevent the fundamental bone and tissue changes of aging. They are best viewed as a complementary practice rather than a primary solution.

Conclusion

So, do faces get wider with age? The answer is not a simple yes or no, but rather a complex story of change. It's the illusion of widening, primarily in the lower face, created by the downward migration of fat and sagging skin, which is itself caused by the underlying resorption of facial bone structure. Understanding this multifaceted process is the first step toward addressing the signs of aging effectively. By considering both lifestyle factors and available cosmetic treatments, one can work to restore a more youthful balance and harmony to their facial proportions. For a deeper dive into the science of facial aging, consider exploring research from authoritative sources like the National Institutes of Health.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the skull actually get bigger with age?

No, the skull does not get bigger or expand with age. Instead, the bones undergo a process of resorption, where bone mass is lost and reshaped, which affects the dimensions of the face and contributes to changes in facial appearance.

Why do jowls and a double chin appear with age?

The development of jowls and a heavier chin profile is linked to the loss of facial fat volume in the cheeks and temples, which then migrates downwards due to gravity and decreased skin elasticity, pooling in the lower face.

Can weight gain make my face look wider?

Yes, gaining weight can contribute to a wider-looking face by increasing the amount of subcutaneous fat stored in the face. Maintaining a healthy weight through diet and exercise is one way to manage facial fat.

Is facial sagging caused only by gravity?

While gravity plays a significant role, facial sagging is also caused by a loss of collagen and elastin in the skin, changes to the underlying bone structure, and the weakening of facial muscles over time.

Do facial exercises help prevent the face from getting wider?

Facial exercises may help tone facial muscles, but there is little evidence they can prevent or reverse the fundamental changes in bone and fat that contribute to the appearance of a wider face with age. They are best seen as a supportive measure.

What is the 'inverted triangle' of aging?

The 'inverted triangle' refers to the shift in facial proportions with age. A youthful face has fullness in the cheeks and a narrow chin (an upside-down triangle), while an aging face sees volume shift to the lower half, creating a pyramid shape with a broader base at the jawline.

What are the most effective treatments for a wider-looking face?

Effective treatments often involve restoring volume in the midface with fillers, tightening the skin and underlying tissues with energy-based devices (like HIFU), or addressing sagging with surgical options like a facelift.