Facial plastic surgeons have long debated whether aging stems primarily from tissue deflation or prolapse. A recent MRI-based study settles this for the upper lip, revealing significant volume loss in older adults.
Researchers examined head MRI scans from 200 adults—100 women and 100 men—originally obtained for other purposes. Participants were split into younger (20-30 years) and older (65-80 years) groups, with detailed measurements of the upper lip unit analyzed across an average 50-year age gap.
Key findings included notable upper lip elongation in the older group: approximately 19% longer in women and 18% in men compared to younger counterparts.
Soft tissue thickness also diminished significantly—by about 41% in women and 33% in men—with the most pronounced reduction at the alar nasolabial fold, the upper crease from nose base to lip corners.
These changes go beyond simple sagging. As the researchers note, "volume loss is an obvious feature of the aging upper lip." This tissue depletion also deepens nasolabial folds, a hallmark of facial aging.
Together, elongation, thinning, and volume loss drive perioral aging. These evidence-based insights bolster strategies for plastic surgery and cosmetic rejuvenation procedures.
