SAGGING

As you reach your 40s, the fat and bone in your face changes in a pre-programmed way.

In 2007, we discovered that fat in the face is divided into different compartments, and each compartment shrinks or grows with age. The fat in your cheeks, lips and around your eyes decreases, whilst the fat in the pockets under your chin and in your jowls grows.

Your skull also changes. Your eye sockets grow larger and your cheekbones and jawbone shrink. Like a tent with a shrinking tent pole, the skin on top becomes loose and saggy.

The end result is droopy cheeks, tired shadows under your eyes, saggy jowls, and a downturned mouth.

You might notice this even more if you lose weight, which reduces the fat in your face.

Your skin also becomes less elastic with age, as it produces less collagen and elastin, especially if you’ve been a sun worshipper. As a result, it’s less able to resist the changes happening in the fat and bone underneath.

Hyaluranon dermal fillers such as Juvederm, Restylane, Perlane and Belotero are, in my opinion, the most effective non-surgical treatment for sagging skin.

Placing small amounts of dermal filler at key points in your face, such as your temple, cheeks, jawline and chin, replaces that lost fat and bone.

This supports your skin from underneath, reducing hollows under your eyes, supporting the corners of your mouth, giving your face a happier, fresher look.

Brazilian plastic surgeon Dr Mauricio de Maio has developed the “8 Point Approach” with dermal fillers specifically to address sag. As one of twelve doctors internationally being personally mentored by Dr de Maio, I love to use exclusive advanced versions of his techniques to reduce sagging of your face.

Botulinum toxin can also be used “off label” to gently relax the downwards pull of selected muscles in your face, allowing your skin to release upwards. This can help sharpen your jawline and lift the corners of your mouth.

Remember how the fat under your chin grows? This can contribute to a saggy look. You can reduce this fat without surgery with Belkyra, a new injectable fat-buster that gradually reduces the fat under your chin, contouring your jawline

Your biggest preventer is probably avoiding the sun. Studies show women living in high UV exposure environments report facial sagging up to five years earlier than others. Whether that’s because of the sun reducing collagen and elastin in the skin, making it less elastic, or whether the sun can accelerate changes in the fat deep underneath, we don’t know, but reducing sun exposure with a hat and daily sunscreen seems sensible.

There’s no magic pill yet to stop the changes in facial fat and bone. You’ve heard of the saying that after 40 you need to choose between your figure and your face? It’s right – it helps not to be too thin.

Your teeth are an important way to stimulate your facial bone, so see a good dentist regularly to make sure you have the best chance of keeping yours.

Whilst skin creams can’t reverse sagging, a comprehensive skin care plan to protect your skin from the sun and encourage maximum collagen production is sensible and has many other benefits like preventing skin cancer.