Age-Related Changes in Facial Soft Tissue of Han Chinese: A Computed Tomographic Study

Facial lifting and volume restoration are the major strategies of facial rejuvenation, but the aging of facial soft tissues has not been sufficiently explored.

This study aimed to reveal the age-related changes in full facial soft tissue of Han Chinese by using computed tomography.

The measurements were performed on head computed tomographic images of 200 Han Chinese subjects (100 men and 100 women). The thickness of facial soft tissue was measured at 20 anthropological landmarks of the skull.

The thickness at rhinion was increased, whereas the thickness at midphiltrum, supradentale, and infradentale was decreased, indicating the significant differences in both sexes. Besides, the thickness at glabella, nasion, supramentale, and menton was decreased significantly in women. The thickness at supraorbital and lateral orbit was increased with aging in either sex. The thickness at frontal eminence, infraorbital, supraglenoid, and gonion showed significant age-related increases in women, and the thickness at zygomatic arch, supra M2, and infra M2 was significantly decreased in men.

These results suggest that soft tissues in different areas of the face are selectively thickened or thinned with aging, thus providing a reference for rejuvenation procedures.