Facial volume loss is caused partly by the breakdown of proteins such as collagen that provide structure to your skin. This change occurs as we age. Our youthful balance of fat changes – we lose it in some areas and gain it in others. Inherited genes appear to intensify the process.
And as we age, we naturally lose facial fat. "Our facial fat pads shrink, and our facial skeleton even shrinks, all of which leads to deflation and ultimately contributes to sagging as that internal support is diminished," said Kristy Hamilton, MD.
The three main face volume loss causes are hormonal changes, environmental factors, and extreme diet and exercise. In terms of hormonal changes as face volume loss causes, this is because they affect the quality and location of fat produced in the face.
Drink plenty of water to keep skin plump. Use moisturizers & facial oils (like aloe vera or hyaluronic acid). Eat collagen-boosting foods (bone broth, citrus fruits) for skin elasticity. Try cheek puffing, jawline movements, and gentle face massages to improve circulation and give a fuller look.
Genetics: Some people are more likely to experience facial volume loss than others due to their genes. Aging: As we age, our bodies produce less collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid, which are all essential for maintaining facial volume. Weight loss: Rapid weight loss can cause the skin to sag and lose volume.
While buccal fat pads will not grow back, remaining fat cells in the face may expand with weight gain, affecting overall facial contours and results.
With age, that fat loses volume, clumps up, and shifts downward, so features that were formerly round may sink, and skin that was smooth and tight gets loose and sags. Meanwhile other parts of the face gain fat, particularly the lower half, so we tend to get baggy around the chin and jowly in the neck.
The cause is usually environmental and lifestyle factors. The most common signs of premature aging appear in your skin, with wrinkles, age spots, dryness or loss of skin tone. Healthy lifestyle habits can help stop and prevent further premature aging.
In your 40s, your ageing skin can become drier, making lines and wrinkles more pronounced. You continue to lose subcutaneous fat, but not equally from all areas. Fat pads around the cheeks and above the mouth are generally the first to go, followed by fat from around the sides of the mouth, chin and jawline.
Aging: As we age, the natural loss of collagen and fat in the face can lead to a hollow or sunken appearance, particularly in the cheeks. Weight Fluctuations: Significant weight loss or weight gain can affect fat distribution in the face, resulting in changes to facial contours.
A slim and slender face is desirable as it allows our facial features to stand out; whereas when we have an excess of facial fat, it can somewhat drown out our features, making them appear less prominent.
Fortunately, you're not stuck with this fat loss. With treatments like hyaluronic acid fillers, platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) fillers, and Sculptra®, Elaine Phuah, DO, MBA, FACOI, can help you replenish any volume you've lost through the years.
The good news is that, in many cases, facial volume loss can be reversed or improved with suitable treatment options.
Reduced collagen levels can make skin thinner, so taking collagen supplements may help some people. Taking steps to look after the skin is also beneficial to the overall health and appearance of the skin. These can include: wearing SPF 30 sunscreen or higher that protects from both UVA and UVB rays.
Sunken cheeks are just another example of how our facial features age. Sunken cheeks occur when a person doesn't have a lot of flesh between the bony arch of cheek under the eyes (zygoma) and the lower jawbone (mandible). As we grow older, we lose facial fat which gives our cheeks a youthful 'plumpness'.
As you get older, you tend to lose some of the facial fat. This loss makes your face appear thinner and bonier. Medical conditions such as cancer, anorexia nervosa, bullimia nervosa, celiac disease, crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis and depression may cause unintentional weight loss and skinny face.
Diet, physical activity, sleep, tobacco and alcohol use, stress, and our environment can all accelerate premature aging.
It is not possible to specifically target the face when gaining extra weight naturally. However, gaining weight overall can help people achieve a fuller facial appearance. Working out the facial muscles can make them stronger, which may make the face appear fuller.
Over time, our body produces less collagen, elastin and the fat pads in the face reduce in size. This results in thinner and less pliable skin as well as sagging of the face. Similarly, changes in hormonal profile, in particular, oestrogen, can help accelerate this process.
Drink More Water
It can even help you lose weight in your face. Studies indicate that drinking plenty of water can decrease your calorie intake and temporarily boost your metabolism. There's also evidence that water can prevent facial bloating caused by fluid retention.
Ozempic face is a colloquial term, not a medically recognized condition. It describes the facial changes that can accompany rapid weight loss when using medications like Ozempic or another version of the same drug (generic name semaglutide) FDA-approved for weight-loss treatment.