Latest research reveals that facial ageing occurs in spurts and is linked to significant life events

LONDON. 27 JANUARY 2010. Leading Plastic Surgeon, Rajiv Grover, reports the results of his latest research into the ageing process presented at the International Master Class on Ageing Skin (IMCAS meeting) Paris January 2010.

Spanning 9 years, the objective of the research was to establish if ageing is a gradual process, or as happens with growth in children, it occurs in spurts so providing insight into how quickly the face ages.

Mr Grover studied 118 women, aged between 40 and 45 at the start of the research and followed them for up to nine years. The study carried out in association with the Q-Med Institute, measured changes in facial volume and ageing in the upper, mid and lower face and then explored lifestyle events to see if they were contributory factors.

Rajiv Grover says “Up until now there has been no research into how quickly the face ages. My earlier research had shown that ageing in the face starts with loss of volume, usually around the age of 40, with the effects of gravity manifesting about 7 years later, I was keen to find out what happened in those intervening years to establish the speed of the ageing process and investigate if lifestyle factors played a part.”

The study findings challenge the assumption that ageing is gradual. The study revealed that ageing can occur in distinct accelerated spurts with as much as 35% of ageing which normally takes place over a decade, occurring in one year alone. The lifestyle factors most closely associated with ageing spurts are significant weight loss, divorce, illness, job loss and bereavement – events which all correlate to high levels of stress.

Rajiv Grover adds “In our lives today, stress is a day to day reality and hard to avoid. But, put simply, the way to age gracefully is to give up yo-yo dieting and not to lose weight in a rapid fashion. It was interesting to note that the most significant area for an ageing spurt was cheek volume. Surprisingly the timing of an ageing spurt was not related to age and occurred equally in the early 40s or 50s. Lifestyle events were more significant in determining the timing of an ageing spurt rather than age itself!”

Analysis of the data showed that ageing in the upper face, (forehead and brow), and in the lower face (jowl and jaw line) occurs more gradually, compared to the mid face and cheek area in particular.

The first area to lose facial fat is the upper cheek below the eyes, followed by the mid cheek area. This loss of volume draws the focus away from the eyes and cheeks, attributes which are regarded as the key features of beauty, and the reason why maintaining cheek volume is important to retain a youthful appearance.

However recent advances in cosmetic medicine, and in non surgical techniques such as volumisation with Restylane SubQ, mean that volume loss in the mid face can be addressed. Restylane SubQ is an injectable treatment containing hyaluronic acid. It is formulated specifically to sit in the subcutaneous layer of the skin to provide the structural support and additional volume to give the lift needed to counter facial fat loss and provide youthful shape to the face. Restylane Sub Q can also be added at the time of surgical facelifting to restore cheek volume so that the face is rejuvenated in a natural way that more accurately resembles the appearance of a youthful face.

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