How does weight loss affect the face?
Facial rejuvenation Scottsdale
Carrying around a lot of extra weight can certainly have negative effects on your health, and losing some of that weight has significant health benefits. People may achieve massive weight loss in various ways, including bariatric surgery, the use of weight loss medications (GLP-1RAs like Ozempic), or being extremely diligent and consistent with lifestyle changes like diet and exercise.
Although weight loss is generally beneficial for a person’s overall health, it often does have an impact on their facial appearance. What happens to the face when you lose a lot of weight? What can you do about these changes?
Facial changes caused by weight loss
There are natural fat pads located in various parts of the face. When you lose a lot of weight, these facial fat pads will decrease in volume as well. The most noticeable change is often in the midface. The cheeks may develop a sunken or hollow appearance. Volume loss in the cheeks also tends to age a person – there’s a natural loss of volume in the cheeks as we age, so when the cheeks lose a lot of volume at once, a person suddenly looks older.
The loss of facial volume can lead to sagging or drooping skin. Skin tissue grows and stretches to accommodate the tissues beneath it. When volume is lost below the skin, the skin tissue itself often can’t “bounce back” enough to adhere to the new contour. This leaves excess skin tissue, which will sag or droop, further leading to an aged appearance. (People often experience this problem of sagging skin all over the body, not only on the face.)
How to address concerns with the face after weight loss
For people who are bothered by what happens to their face after they lose weight, there are options for addressing the issue. Dermal fillers can be used to add lost volume back into areas that have been affected. This must be done strategically, to create a facial appearance that matches your new body silhouette, but also looks healthy and youthful.
For sagging skin, a facelift can be considered. During this procedure, the excess skin will be removed, creating a sleeker facial appearance. A facelift should not be performed until after your weight has stabilized at the new level, because if you keep losing weight after the procedure, then you may again experience sagging skin. You can try nonsurgical options sooner, but it’s better to wait to consider surgery until after your weight is stable.
Facial rejuvenation Scottsdale
If you’ve experienced significant weight loss, then you might be noticing changes in your facial appearance. Having gone through so much to achieve weight loss, it can be distressing to find that you’re now unhappy with how your face looks.
If you’d like to consider your options for addressing your concerns, you should seek out an expert in facial plastic surgery and cosmetic medicine. This will allow you to learn more about your options, and to get professional advice about what results you could likely expect from each option. Then you can make an informed decision about how you’d like to proceed. Dr. Caniglia is an expert facial plastic surgeon, and has many years of experience in addressing cosmetic issues with the face. To book your consultation with Dr. Caniglia, please contact our office.