The Science and Stages of Facial Aging: What Skincare Can & Can’t Do

As we age, our faces undergo a series of natural changes that affect our appearance, often leading to wrinkles, sagging skin, and other signs of aging. These changes occur not just on the surface, but deep within the structures that support our face, including the skin, muscles, ligaments, and bones. In this post, we’ll explore the science behind facial aging, breaking it down into its various stages and explaining how each layer of the face is affected.

1. The Skin: Loss of Elasticity and Hydration

The skin is one of the first areas to show signs of aging. With age, several factors contribute to changes in the skin:

Collagen and Elastin Depletion: Collagen, a protein responsible for skin’s strength and structure, decreases by about 1% every year after the age of 20. Elastin, the protein that helps skin bounce back, also begins to degrade. As a result, skin loses its firmness, becoming more prone to sagging and wrinkles.
Increase in pigmentation: over time, our skin can accumulate sun damage, that may present as hyperpigmentation (new freckles, or larger areas sometimes called ¨age spots¨). Using sunscreen daily can help reduce these changes (and help reduce your risk of skin cancers).
Thinning of the Epidermis: The outer layer of the skin, known as the epidermis, thins over time. This makes the skin appear more fragile and susceptible to damage, as well as increasing the visibility of blood vessels and age spots. The thinning of the epidermis is even more pronounced in women once they enter perimenopause and menopause, due to the loss of estrogen and its beneficial effects on skin health and collagen production.

These changes typically begin in the late 20s to early 30s and become more pronounced as we reach our 40s and 50s.

2. The Muscle: Reduced Tone and Weakening

Beneath the skin, the facial muscles play a key role in facial expression and support. As we age, several changes occur in the muscles:

Loss of Muscle Tone: Over time, the muscles of the face lose their tone and elasticity. As a result, the face may appear to sag, especially around the jawline and cheeks.
Weakened Facial Muscles: The muscles that control facial expressions gradually weaken. This contributes to drooping eyelids, sagging brows, and the formation of nasolabial folds (the lines that run from the nose to the corners of the mouth).

These muscle changes become more noticeable in the 40s and 50s, coinciding with other changes in the skin and underlying structure.

3. The Ligaments: Loss of Support

Facial ligaments are dense bands of connective tissue that support the skin, muscles, and fat pads of the face. These ligaments gradually lose their strength and elasticity over time, contributing to several aging effects:

Ligament Laxity: With age, ligaments become looser and weaker, causing the skin and underlying structures to sag. This results in the descent of facial fat pads, contributing to the appearance of jowls and droopy cheeks.
Cheek Descent: One of the most noticeable changes is the shifting of the cheek fat pads downward. This can cause the face to look less youthful, as the cheeks lose their volume and definition.

Ligament laxity typically becomes more pronounced in the 40s and 50s, leading to the more noticeable sagging of the face.

4. The Facial Bones: Shrinkage and Resorption

Beneath the skin, muscles, and ligaments, the bones of the face undergo significant changes as well:

Bone Resorption: As we age, the bones of the face, particularly the jaw and cheeks, begin to shrink or resorb. This happens because the body breaks down bone tissue faster than it can rebuild it. The reduction in bone volume leads to a hollowing of the face, contributing to the deepening of nasolabial folds, the formation of a more pronounced undereye hollows, and a loss of overall facial structure.
Jawline Changes: The resorption of the jawbone can lead to a receding chin and a less defined jawline. This makes the neck and chin appear less youthful, contributing to the development of “turkey neck.”
Loss of Cheekbone Definition: As the upper jaw and maxillary bones shrink, the cheekbones can appear less prominent. This loss of volume can result in a flatter, less youthful appearance.

Bone changes start to occur around the age of 40 and become more pronounced in the 50s and beyond.

Stages of Facial Aging

While aging is a gradual process, we can break down the stages of facial aging based on the changes in the skin, muscles, ligaments, and bones.

In Your 20s and 30s:

The skin is still relatively firm and elastic, but collagen production starts to slow down.
Fine lines may begin to appear around the eyes and mouth, but they are often subtle.
Muscles and ligaments are still strong and provide ample support for the face.
Bone density remains high, and facial structure is still youthful.

In Your 40s:

The skin begins to show more significant signs of aging with the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, and sagging.
Muscle tone starts to decrease, and facial expressions become less dynamic.
Ligaments begin to loosen, contributing to the descent of fat pads and the formation of jowls.
Bone resorption begins, and the loss of volume in the cheeks and jawline is noticeable.

In Your 50s and Beyond:

The skin becomes thinner, drier, and more prone to wrinkles and age spots.
The muscles of the face continue to weaken, and facial expressions become less pronounced.
The sagging of the skin and the deepening of facial folds become more prominent.
The bones of the face have resorbed significantly, leading to a hollowed appearance, especially in the cheeks and jaw.

Conclusion

Facial aging is a complex process that affects various layers of the face, from the skin to the bones. As we grow older, these changes contribute to the gradual shift in our appearance, resulting in the wrinkles, sagging skin, and loss of volume that are associated with aging. Understanding these processes can help us better appreciate the natural course of aging and the ways we can intervene to slow down the process.

Take-home message: skincare, when done consistently, can help to preserve your skin health, encourage ongoing collagen production as we age, and reduce and prevent the skin damage that occurs due to free radicals in our environment (including UV rays, a.k.a. sun damage). In addition to consistent skincare, we need to take care of ourselves on the inside, by getting enough sleep, avoiding smoking, drinking enough water, managing stress levels, eating a nutrient-dense diet (with lots of antioxidants), and avoiding sunburns.

Skincare products can help prevent and reduce many of the signs of aging, such as fine lines and wrinkles, uneven skin tone and hyperpigmentation (dark spots), and rough skin texture. Focus on products to help you improve the three T´s: tone, texture, and tightness. However, if someone tries to sell you a cream that claims to improve the appearance of jowls, think twice before you spend your money. Jowls occur as a result of changes in the deeper structures of the face (loosening of ligaments, migration of facial fat pads), so these are best delt with by consulting with a board-certified plastic surgeon, if you are considering this option.

Although we can’t stop the aging process, there are many ways to slow it down and maintain a youthful appearance, from skincare routines to chemical peels, and even medical interventions like injectable treatments, collagen induction therapy (like microneedling), and if desired, surgery. Ultimately, embracing the changes that come with aging is just as important as finding ways to care for our skin and overall health. After all, aging is a privilege that not everyone achieves. Love yourself, for all that you have learned, experienced, and contributed in your life. And always take care of yourself as though you´re someone you love. -in good health, Dr. B

Holly Barko

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