When people notice signs of facial ageing, they often focus on wrinkles or skin laxity. However, some of the most significant age-related changes occur beneath the skin.
One of these changes is bone resorption, the gradual remodelling and reduction of bone volume that occurs naturally as we age. Because the facial skeleton acts as the foundation for the overlying soft tissues, changes in the bone can influence the way the face looks over time. This can show up as hollowing around the eyes, softer cheek definition, or a less defined jawline.
While bone resorption itself can’t be reversed, its visible effects can be addressed.
What Is Bone Resorption?
Bone is living tissue. It’s constantly being broken down and rebuilt, a process that continues throughout life. In youth, that balance tips towards rebuilding. With age, it tips the other way, and bone volume gradually decreases in certain parts of the face.
The areas most affected tend to be the eye sockets, the cheekbones, and the upper and lower jaw. Each of these plays a specific structural role, so when they shrink, the effects ripple outwards through everything sitting on top of them.
How Bone Resorption Affects Appearance
Skin sits on fat, fat sits on muscle, and muscle sits on bone. When the bone underneath starts to recede, everything above it loses its support.
Reduced cheek projection is one of the more obvious signs, often described by patients as looking “tired” even after a full night’s sleep. Hollowing around the eyes is another, frequently mistaken for dehydration or poor sleep when it’s really a structural issue. Add to that the deepening of folds around the nose and mouth, a jawline that’s lost its definition, and proportions that simply look different to how they used to, and you start to see why bone resorption is one of the more underrated players in facial ageing.
It’s also important to mention the other age-related factors that contribute to an older appearance, including pigmentation, collagen loss, fat redistribution, and skin laxity.
Can Bone Resorption Be Reversed?
Age-related bone remodelling is a natural biological process. While cosmetic treatments do not reverse bone loss itself, various aesthetic approaches may be considered to address the visible changes associated with facial ageing.
The most appropriate approach will depend on an individual’s anatomy, concerns, and treatment goals.
Managing the Visible Effects of Facial Ageing
Skin Quality Treatments
Improving skin quality can help support a fresher and healthier appearance. Depending on individual suitability, treatment plans may focus on skin rejuvenation, supporting collagen production, improving skin texture, addressing pigmentation concerns, and improving overall skin quality.
At Define Laser, due to our variety of modalities available, treatment options may include laser technologies and other non-surgical skin treatments following a professional assessment with Dr Watson.
Supporting Facial Structure
As facial support changes with age, some individuals seek non-surgical options that may help improve facial balance, contours, or proportions, such as volumising injections.
Dr Watson can assess facial anatomy and discuss whether any treatment options may be suitable for your individual circumstances.
Combined Approaches
Because facial ageing occurs across multiple layers of the face, treatment plans are often tailored to address several factors simultaneously, including skin quality, facial contours, volume changes, texture and tone, and overall facial harmony.
Personalised Assessment Matters Because No Two Faces Age the Same Way
Genetics, lifestyle factors, sun exposure, and anatomy all influence how facial ageing presents over time.
For this reason, a personalised consultation is often the most valuable first step. During an assessment, Dr Watson will evaluate your facial structure, skin quality, and aesthetic concerns and discuss which options may be appropriate for you.
Bone resorption is one of the lesser-known contributors to facial ageing, yet it plays an important role in the structural changes that occur over time. While cosmetic treatments do not reverse the underlying bone changes, a range of aesthetic approaches may help address some of the visible effects associated with facial ageing.
Understanding the causes of facial ageing allows for a more comprehensive and personalised approach to treatment planning, helping patients make informed decisions about their aesthetic journey.
Concerned About Changes in Your Facial Appearance?
If you have noticed changes in your facial contours, skin quality, or overall appearance as you’ve aged, a personalised consultation can help identify the factors contributing to these changes and determine which treatment options may be appropriate for your individual goals.
At Define Laser & Cosmetic Clinic our experienced clinicians take a comprehensive approach to facial assessment, considering skin quality, facial structure, and overall facial harmony to develop a tailored treatment plan.
Book your consultation today and take the first step towards a personalised approach to facial rejuvenation.
Treatment suitability varies between individuals and can only be determined following consultation with a qualified healthcare professional.