TL;DR:
- Fat tissue is necessary for normal functioning; excess fat can age a face, while decreases in fat can cause aging signs over time.
- From ages 20–40, a slim face looks younger; with age, facial fat decreases, leading to sagging skin, wrinkles, and pronounced nasolabial folds.
- Excess fat can make eyes smaller, the face heavy, and cheeks droop, causing jawline and chin atrophy. Weight reduction or facelifts can help.
- Aging causes fat redistribution, leading to sagging cheeks, chin, and marionette lines. Treatments include facelifts, PDO threads, or Bichat cushion removal.
- Body fat increases with age; men gain fat on the abdomen, women on hips/thighs, with body firmness decreasing.
- Fat grafting via liposuction helps remodel buttocks, breasts, and hands, offering safe, long-lasting results. Modern surgery counters aging effectively.
Fat tissue is usually associated negatively, we perceive it as something to get rid of. Of course, excess adipose tissue does not have a good effect on the body, but the correct amount is necessary for normal functioning. The fat pad also plays an important role in the aging process, so it is worth taking a closer look at its functions and the possibilities of using adipose tissue in plastic surgery.
Excess or deficiency of adipose tissue – which adds more years?
The answer is not clear-cut, because it depends on age. On average, from the age of 20 to 40, a slim face looks younger than a full face. As we age, however, this begins to change, as the amount of fat padding on the face decreases, leading to increasingly visible signs of aging. In young people, the amount of facial fat is sufficient to fill in the spaces between muscles, prevent cheeks from sinking and wrinkles from forming. However, excess fat is no longer desirable, as it can visually add years. It makes the eyes appear smaller and makes the face look heavy and tired. Excess can also be deposited on the forehead, where there should be only a few tens of milliliters of evenly distributed fatty tissue. Because of this, the forehead becomes massive and dominates the face. A large amount of fat cells on the cheeks can also lead to accentuation of nasolabial furrows, which visually ages the face. People with excess facial fat also develop signs of aging inappropriate to age, such as facial drooping and atrophy of the jawline and chin. The distribution of body fat depends on gender, but is also largely an individual issue. The natural way to reduce facial fat is simply to reduce body weight – then the features will also change. If excess skin and loss of elasticity appear instead, facelift will be an effective solution.
Aging processes vs. fat tissue
As we age, the role of facial fat tissue changes – it ceases to be an enemy and becomes an ally. Unfortunately, even despite good care, we are not able to stop the natural aging processes. As we age, the amount of fat tissue on the face decreases: this happens especially in the orbital, temporal and suborbital areas. Among other things, because of this, the skin becomes flabby, and the signs of aging become more visible. It also happens that the fat pad moves from the sub-laryngeal area toward the nose, so nasolabial furrows and marionette lines become prominent. The movement of fat tissue causes excess fat to appear on the cheeks, chin and chin. Combined with decreasing collagen and elastin production, this leads to a loss of clear facial contours. Numerous signs of aging appear, such as facial hamsters. To get rid of them, it is necessary to opt for aesthetic medicine or plastic surgery procedures: facelift, chin and jaw plastic surgery, PDO threads, facial volumetry or Bichat cushion removal. In men, facial masculinization is also performed to restore clear contours.
How does the silhouette change with age?
With age, not only the face changes, but also the silhouette. Metabolism slows down, so it becomes increasingly difficult to maintain the former figure. Collagen production also decreases, so the body loses firmness. The amount of muscle tissue decreases, and fat tissue increases. Fat deposition largely depends on hormones: in men it accumulates mainly on the abdomen, and in women – in the lower abdomen, on the hips and thighs. In men, it also happens that fat tissue causes breast enlargement. In women, the waistline often disappears, and disproportions appear between the upper and lower parts of the body. Plastic surgery procedures can help here, allowing to change not only the appearance of the body, but the entire figure.
The use of fat tissue in plastic surgery.
The passage of time makes it increasingly difficult to maintain a woman's shape. The body loses firmness, and the buttocks are no exception. If we combine this with a sedentary lifestyle, the bottom becomes flat and saggy. The good news is that this problem can be solved by using fat taken by liposuction from another area of the body where there is excess fat. Liposuction buttock modeling with your own fat is safe because there is no risk of allergic reaction. This way you can get beautiful Brazilian buttocks without implants. The BBL procedure takes only 60 to 120 minutes, and the results last for several years. One's own fat can also be used for breast augmentation or hand modeling. Body changes do not have to be a reason for complexes, as they can be successfully corrected.
There is no way to avoid the aging process, as it is natural that as we age, the body and face begin to look different. However, modern plastic surgery offers so much that you can feel good about your skin, regardless of your metric.
Conclusion
Understanding fat tissue's role is key to managing aging and appearance. Fat's effects change with age, emphasizing balance for youthful looks. Modern procedures like facelifts and fat grafting reshape faces and bodies, restoring confidence. Aging is inevitable, but thoughtful care and advanced techniques can enhance how you feel and look over time. Choose what's right for you.