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Facial Soft Tissue Ptosis: A Quantitative Analysis using 3d Facial Scan App For iPhone
Vincenzo Abbate1, Giovanni Dell'Aversana Orabona1, Francesco Seidita1
1Maxillofacial Surgery Unit, Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive and Odontostomatological Sciences, University Federico II, Via Pansini 5, 80100 Naples, Italy.
Journal of Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery
|January 27, 2023
Summary
Facial soft tissue ptosis, or sagging, increases with age, BMI, and is more pronounced in females. This study quantitatively measured facial ptosis using iPhone scans and 3D software, offering an accurate, low-cost method.
Area of Science:
- Plastic Surgery
- Biomedical Engineering
- Anthropometry
Background:
- Facial aging involves soft tissue changes, but quantitative analysis of facial ptosis is lacking.
- Facial ptosis, the drooping of facial tissues due to gravity, significantly impacts facial aesthetics.
- Existing methods for assessing facial ptosis lack quantitative precision and reproducibility.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantitatively measure the degree of soft tissue facial ptosis.
- To develop a low-cost, reproducible method for assessing facial ptosis using readily available technology.
- To investigate the correlation between facial ptosis and demographic factors like age, BMI, and gender.
Main Methods:
- Utilized an iPhone application (Bellus3D Face app) to capture 3D facial scans of 60 volunteers in upright and supine positions.
- Employed Geomagic Design X 3D software to virtually superimpose scans and calculate discrepancies, quantifying facial ptosis.
- Applied multivariate regression analysis to correlate ptosis measurements with age, body mass index (BMI), and gender.
Main Results:
- Facial ptosis significantly increases with age (p < 0.001).
- Higher body mass index (BMI) was correlated with increased facial ptosis (p < 0.001).
- Females exhibited a statistically significant higher degree of facial ptosis compared to males (p < 0.001).
Conclusions:
- The developed iPhone-based 3D scanning method accurately quantifies facial ptosis.
- This approach provides a cost-effective and easily reproducible tool for morphological studies of facial aging.
- Findings confirm that age, BMI, and gender are significant factors influencing facial soft tissue ptosis.
