New research reveals that facial asymmetry steadily increases with age, with profound implications for facial rejuvenation and reconstructive surgery. Advanced three-dimensional digital imaging techniques uncover a subtle yet significant rise in asymmetry, particularly in the lower two-thirds of the face.
Employing 3D photogrammetry, researchers conducted precise facial surface scans on 191 volunteers aged four months to 88 years. They quantified asymmetry using root mean square deviation (RMSD) to measure differences between the left and right sides.
This high-resolution method detected asymmetry at sub-millimeter levels. Analyses examined age-related changes across the upper, middle, and lower face thirds, with RMSD values ranging from 0.4 to 1.3 mm across age groups.
Asymmetry grew with age in all facial thirds, but the most pronounced increases occurred in the lower two-thirds—from eyebrows to nose, and nose to chin—compared to the upper third.
