Analysis of Anatomy and Age-related Changes in Infraorbital Cheek Using Computed Tomography

There is no consensus regarding age-related facial anatomical changes. In this study, aging-related changes in soft and hard cheek tissues were quantitatively analyzed using computed tomography.

We performed a retrospective study of 90 Asian females who underwent facial computed tomography. Three-dimensional model of soft tissue in apple zone was reconstructed, and age-related changes in fat volume and pyriform aperture area were quantified using Mimics software.

The apple zone is an aesthetic unit of the infraorbital cheek, with soft tissue located between the lateral wall of the pyriform aperture and the zygomatic major muscle. The superficial fat volume significantly decreased with age (P < 0.05). In contrast, a significant decrease in total fat volume was only observed between the young and old groups (P < 0.05). In linear regression modeling, age was a significant predictor of pyriform aperture area (R² = 0.194, P < 0.001).

These results suggest that superficial fat atrophy and bone remodeling in the cheek with age, and both of which combine to contribute to an aging facial appearance.

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