Usually, when you lose the fat, it comes off in the opposite order that it was stored. If your body tends to store fat in your face or belly first, these will be the last places where it would shed from. The facial skeleton forms the foundation and shape of your face, and supports overlying soft tissues.
There are both modifiable and non-modifiable factors responsible for facial fat. Some of the non-modifiable factors include genetic factors (bone structure), medical condition and hormonal factors. Modifiable factors include a poor diet, weight gain, smoking, dehydration, alcohol consumption and lack of exercise.
Spot reduction or losing fat only at the face is difficult, so one might have to consider being on a complete weight loss regimen or choose a healthy lifestyle to see marked changes to get that flattering, sharp facial features.
What causes face fat? As with our bodies, putting weight on in our faces is a result of a build-up of fat deposits. This excess fat is usually caused by overall weight gain, which is typically linked to one or more of these factors – poor diet, lack of exercise, ageing or genetic conditions.
Skin becomes loose and sagging, bones lose their mass, and muscles lose their strength as a result of time spent living life. 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.
A chin lift is an effective exercise to reduce cheek fat. Pull the lower portion of your face and chin upwards while flexing the jaw muscles. The movement increases blood circulation to these areas, resulting in fat burn. Repeat these at least 10 to 15 times in one set.
Generally, facial fat goes away at 20% body fat and a proper weight loss program can help individuals lose approximately 0.5-1% of their body fat per week. Therefore, it may take a few weeks to lose face fat completely.
Just like any other type of weight loss, how long you lose face fat quickly depends on a variety of factors, such as your diet, exercise routine, and lifestyle. Generally speaking, it may take several months to see significant results. To get the best results, stay consistent with your healthy eating and exercise plan.
Common reasons for face fat after weight loss
There are several reasons why you may still have excess face fat after weight loss. Some of the common reasons include genetics, age, poor diet, lack of exercise, and hormonal imbalances.
Many types of facial massage can slightly change the way your face looks. It can lean off excess fat that makes your cheeks look chubby. Similarly, it can reduce a double chin by tightening the skin and muscles in your neck. Facial massage helps fat break down, tighten muscles, and increase blood circulation.
Face exercises might also help improve muscle tone in the face and could theoretically help with gravity-related fat loss or redistribution on the face, says Dr. Olbricht. Building muscle in the face could potentially help keep fat — which might otherwise slide down with the pull of gravity — where it belongs.
You Feel Like You're Looking Worse
The idea is that just before a significant weight loss occurs, you actually look a little pudgy and soft. Why? Because you've started to break down your fat cells and now they're filling up with water. Soon, these cells will flush themselves out and shrink.
Researchers at the University of Toronto found that men and women need to lose roughly 18 and 14 pounds, respectively, before noticing visible changes in their appearance.
Losing weight can have a transformative impact on not just the body but also the face. As the body sheds excess fat, changes in facial structure and appearance often become apparent. Fat loss from the face can lead to a more defined jawline, cheekbones, and a reduction in facial roundness.
Mostly, losing weight is an internal process. You will first lose hard fat that surrounds your organs like liver, kidneys and then you will start to lose soft fat like waistline and thigh fat. The fat loss from around the organs makes you leaner and stronger.
It is a popularised myth that chewing gum reduces face fat. The simple fact is that you cannot reduce fat from one spot. Chewing gum can give your facial muscles a good workout but isn't effective in reducing face fat.
The fat compartments of the face, usually held back by retaining ligaments, begin to push out and migrate into lower areas. For instance, cheek fat comes down and collects underneath the nose and above the lips (forming deep “nasolabial” folds), and making the cheekbones look less defined.
With age, that fat loses volume, clumps up, and shifts downward, so features that were formerly round may sink, and skin that was smooth and tight gets loose and sags. Meanwhile other parts of the face gain fat, particularly the lower half, so we tend to get baggy around the chin and jowly in the neck.
While every person ages differently, many patients begin to notice signs of facial volume loss starting in their 20s. In your youth, fat in the face is evenly distributed, with pockets that plump up the forehead, temples, cheeks, and areas around the eyes and mouth.
Why Exercise Leaves You With 'Gym Face' Extreme workouts can result in fat loss throughout the body as well as the face. This subsequent decrease in facial fat and volume is one of the main reasons why exercise makes you look older, especially for anyone over the age of 35.