How much younger? Twin studies revealed that a person who has a BMI 4 points higher can look 2-4 years younger. The reason is that the face naturally loses fat as we get older. Features such as full lips and round cheeks are associated with youth.
And you won't just look better. “Increased facial fat is associated with a compromised immune system, poor cardiovascular function, frequent respiratory infections, and mortality,” said the study leader Dr Nicholas Rule. Yes, keep off the pounds and you'll attract women and live longer. It's a win-win.
Losing extra weight can counter the effects of aging, if you also exercise to tone up your muscles as well, this can help you to look younger. In younger people, having a thinner face can also take years off of your physical appearance, as excess weight can make you look a lot older than you are.
However, now a new study has revealed that losing weight can accelerate the ageing process, making you look older. This is according to a study conducted by researchers from the Medical College of Wisconsin. They studied CT head scans of 19 middle-aged volunteers (ranging from age 46 to 57 years) twice, a decade apart.
Most people begin to notice a shift in the appearance of their face around their 40's and 50's, with some also noticing a change in their 30's. But with these physical changes brought on by aging also comes a change in the appearance of our face - Luckily, there is treatment available.
' Both genetics and lifestyle-related factors have an influence on our youthful appearance. The key to understand perceived ageing is the interaction between these two elements. Epigenetics can provide this key.
Your face skin might start sagging.
Premature drooping of the jawline (a.k.a. jowls) is one of the most common issues. When you drop pounds, you're also shedding the components that make your skin plump, like subcutaneous fat, collagen, and elastin, says Dr. Gohara.
According to Princeton University Health Services¹, dieting affects the skin because weight loss and weight gain both cause the skin to stretch and lose elasticity. As a result, skin becomes vulnerable to wrinkling and sagging under the forces of gravity.
A thin face is the lead culprit because being slender causes a loss of volume in the face, Guyuron says. "This loss of volume creates jowls and makes wrinkles develop," he says. "The older we get, the more the face gets depleted. When you lose weight, this look is enhanced and aging is accelerated.
Scientists believe that excess weight leads to a condition known as 'skin slackening' where the skin around your face loses its elasticity and looks saggy. The facial fat pads also decrease with age, but if you are overweight, they diminish faster, which means your face will look wrinkled and sag sooner.
“There is this weight bias and negative attitudes towards individuals in a larger body,” said Goldman. “And after people lose a significant amount of weight, they really do start experiencing this. People are kinder and nicer. And it's like they're no longer invisible.”
According to various surveys and studies, women with attractive features usually have a BMI of 19, and men with attractive faces have a BMI of 24. This means their ideal weights for women and men should be 111 and 165 pounds respectively.
When you lose weight, you inevitably lose some fat, including that which naturally occurs in your face and neck. And when that happens, volume in your face and neck decreases, says Nina Desai, M.D., a dermatologist in Manhattan Beach, CA. That creates skin laxity (derm speak for sagging) and folds.
“But they need to lose about twice as much for anyone to find them more attractive,” he said in a statement. That's an average of 13.9 pounds for women and 18.1 for men of a normal height and weight. Well, then. Sounds like that extra five pounds you've been fretting about is just the tip of the iceberg.
For small to moderate amounts of weight loss, your skin will likely retract on its own. Natural home remedies may help too. However, more significant weight loss may need body-contouring surgery or other medical procedures to tighten or get rid of loose skin.
Does everyone have loose skin after major weight loss? Nope—it's not inevitable, says Dr. Prachand. But it's also not easy to predict who is going to experience it, he says.
So diet face – people getting skinny in middle age and then looking gaunt and aged – is a thing! Obviously, it is more of a thing for women, because everything is. Cosmetic surgeons, those doctors of insecurity, talk of gravitational descent, eyebrow deflation, jowling and neck laxity.
'Losing fat from the face gives the appearance of being unwell,' says Harley Street facial surgeon Dr Ayham Al-Ayoubi. 'With weight loss, many people develop a hollow area under the eyes and their skin becomes dehydrated and wrinkly, making them look old.
As far as the female or male aging timeline, the biggest changes typically occur when people are in their 40s and 50s. However, it's not unlikely to notice changes in your mid to late-30s, as well. Some of the first signs of aging are droopy skin, smile lines, and wrinkles. These changes can be jarring, but natural.
Drinking enough water each day replenishes your skin's tissue and cells, allowing for younger and healthier looking skin. Another key to maintaining a youthful appearance is to simply get some rest! When you sleep, your body continuously releases hormones that promote cell turnover and renewal.