Growth and aging of facial soft tissues: A computerized three‐dimensional mesh diagram analysis

Abstract

The normal growth, development, and aging of facial soft tissues was studied by three‐dimensional (3D) computerized mesh diagram analysis. The 3D coordinates of 50 soft‐tissue landmarks were collected from 591 healthy white northern Italians (351 males, 240 females) 6–40 years of age. For each gender and age class, mean values were computed, and a standardized mesh of equidistant horizontal, vertical, and anterior‐posterior lines was constructed. Within each age group, male meshes were superimposed on female meshes. For each gender, the 6‐year‐old reference mesh was superimposed on the reference mesh of each age group. The global (size plus shape) difference was evaluated by calculating the relevant displacement vectors for each landmark. Consequently, a size normalization was carried out and the shape difference was evaluated by calculating new relevant displacement vectors for each landmark. Growth and development were different along the three spatial planes: the largest increment was observed in the vertical dimension, with major modifications in the soft‐tissue profile. The vertical dimension in males increased even after 30 years of age: ear dimensions increased, trichion moved superiorly and posteriorly, and pogonion, menton, and gonion moved anteriorly and inferiorly. In all age groups, size‐standardized shape differences were found in the forehead, lower‐third facial profile, eyes, cheeks, and ears. In each age class, male dimensions were larger than female dimensions. During childhood, gender differences in size were limited; shape differences were even less manifest. Overall, the profile was more anterior and inferior, the gonia were more inferior and more lateral, the forehead was more anterior, and the ears were larger in males than in females of corresponding age. Clin. Anat. 16:420–433, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.