Appearance and Aging

This past week for ISM, I changed the focus of my research assessments from rhinoplasties to face lifts. After witnessing a surgery that focused on the aging of the face during my mentor visit, I wanted to delve deeper into what makes a face age and the implications that impact aesthetics.

One really important factor that I saw in my research was the multiple ways that aging can be altered both surgically and nonsurgically. Both in the article and in the real world, I’ve seen physicians discuss how one can diminish the appearance of old age thorough dermal fillers but also by redraping the tissue and performing a face lift. Dr. Cain constantly mentions the fact that dermal fillers can be inserted around the nasolabial folds and a face lift can also be performed in order to get rid of the sagging skin below the face. In addition to this, the article also discussed periorbital and nasal aging. I had never seen nor heard about the nose aging and what effect this has on the face and the appearance. After reading the article, I saw how with age, the nose tends to extend while also exhibiting characteristics of a droopy nose. Through seeing how the nose ages, it made me more aware of the fact that not only will younger individuals undergo surgery in order to improve their noses, but it is also plausible for older patients to want to enhance their nasal features as well.

The final interesting point of information that I learned was how the article mentioned that those with stronger skeletal structure will age better. The reason this occurs is because bone resorption leads to a higher likelihood of aging within that region of the face and individuals with stronger skeletal structure will be less likely to experience bone resorption within parts of the face. I was really intrigued with this fact and it made me more interested in the anatomy and genetic aspect of facial plastic surgery.

All in all, shifting my focus to face lifts allowed me to view new perspectives in terms of skeletal structure and surgical implications but it also gave me more knowledge about how the face ages in order for me to be more informed about the best ways to improve the aesthetic appearance of individuals.