Relationship between Facial Configuration and Age-Induced Changes in Facial Morphology

Wrinkles and sagging are types of age-induced changes in facial morphology, and these changes become more noticeable with age. Due to individual differences, age-induced changes progress at different rates, and thus the degree of wrinkles and sagging varies among people in the same age group. Various factors contribute to individual differences, and we hypothesized that facial configuration, namely facial contour and the size and location of the eyes, nose and mouth, is one such factor. Therefore, the present study investigated whether or not individual differences in age-induced changes in facial morphology, such as wrinkles and sagging, could be explained in terms of individual differences in facial configuration. The facial configurations of subjects were determined by examining photographs taken of subjects approximately 20 years of age, and then wrinkles and sagging were assessed for the same people after they had aged several decades, The results of a discriminate analysis showed that laugh lines are more noticeable for people with large eyes, thus suggesting that ageinduced changes in facial morphology are related to certain aspects of facial configuration, namely to certain favial dimensions.