Mapping the Face

As the face ages, not only do ligaments break down, empowering gravity, but each compartment gains or loses fat independently of its neighbors. While plastic surgeons have long understood that part of the aging equation involves facial fat loss (a process they refer to as deflation), they may have underestimated its role in shaping the appearance of older faces. "Some of what looks like sagging, is really just deflation in deeper compartments," says Pessa. "Knowing this will allow us to approach facial rejuvenation in a much more precise and individualized way."

Researchers are looking into whether the case is the same for the rest of the body. "It opens a whole new avenue of investigation," says Stuzin. "Now we can look at fat storage in a very scientific manner." Scientists already know that people who store fat in certain regions of the body face a greater risk for developing heart disease. But Rohrich and Pessa's research shows that common terms like "intra-abdominal" may actually refer to several distinct compartments. And that may lead to better predictions of risk. "Rather than saying 'you store fat in the abdomen,' we'll be able to say, 'you store fat in the deep axillary fat compartment'." says Pessa. "It will be a much more fine-tuned diagnosis—but that's a few years down the road."

© 2007