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The overall structure and shape of the face are determined by the bones, or skeleton, of the face. Few changes in the aging face result in changes in the skeletal structure. Most of the changes in the face that are due to aging manifest themselves in the soft tissues that overlay the bones of the face. The deepest layer of the soft tissues are composed of the muscles that control facial expression. These muscles can be found around the forehead, eyes, ears, nose, mouth and neck. Stretching and loss of tone of these facial muscles will produce sagging of the face. The middle layer is primarily a fatty layer. As you age, this layer responds to gravity and the fat collects in the area near the chin and is seen as jowling. The outermost layer of the tissue is the skin. With aging, sun exposure and other factors, the elasticity of the skin decreases and the skin grows looser. As the skin becomes looser, wrinkles form. Skin laxity is especially visible in the areas where the skin has been exposed to the repeated action of facial expression such as near the eyes and mouth.
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