Steady increase in facial asymmetry is observed with aging with important suggestions for facial rejuvenation and reconstructive methods.
Facial asymmetry between the two sides increases steadily with aging, reports a new study with important indications for facial rejuvenation and reconstructive methods. The findings of the study are published in the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Three-dimensional digital imaging techniques show a subtle but significant aging-related increase in facial asymmetry, especially in the lower two-thirds of the face, according to the new research by ASPS Member Surgeon Helena O.B. Taylor, MD, Ph.D., of Mount Auburn Hospital, Cambridge, Mass., and colleagues.
‘Steady increase in facial asymmetry is observed with aging hinting important suggestions for facial rejuvenation and reconstructive methods.’
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"The observed correlation between increasing facial asymmetry and age can be useful as a guide in plastic surgery to produce age-matched features," the researchers write.Read More..
Steady Increase in Facial Asymmetry with Aging
Using a technique called 3D photogrammetry, Dr. Taylor and colleagues performed detailed scans of the facial surface in 191 volunteers, who ranged in age from four months to 88 years. The researchers then calculated the "root mean square deviation" (RMSD) to quantify the degree of asymmetry between the two sides of each face.
This digital imaging approach enabled the investigators to distinguish very subtle levels of asymmetry - within a fraction of a millimeter. Facial asymmetry was analyzed in terms of age, and between the upper, middle, and lower thirds of the face. Across age groups, RMSD calculations of facial symmetry clustered between 0.4 and 1.3 mm.
"We found a highly significant positive correlation between increasing age and facial asymmetry," the researchers write. The measurements showed a small but predictable increase in RMSD: by 0.06 mm for each decade of life. Facial asymmetry did not vary significantly based on race or sex.
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While some degree of asymmetry is "attractive and inherent" in the human face, achieving facial symmetry is a fundamental goal of plastic surgery. In terms of precision and accuracy, 3D photogrammetry is a major advance over previous studies of facial asymmetry using direct measurements (anthropometry).
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For example, using implants or soft tissue volumizers to replace the deep support structures could improve facial asymmetry and restore youthful proportions, especially from the eyebrows down to the chin. Dr. Taylor and colleagues conclude: "Ultimately, we hope to contribute to a better understanding of how asymmetry evolves with time and use this data to improve outcomes in both reconstructive and aesthetic surgery."
Source-Eurekalert