Diminishing Skin Volume with Age: From the Era of Filling to the Era of Supporting

As aging progresses, nasolabial folds deepen, jowls sag, and facial contours become blurred. These changes are often caused not only by a loss of skin elasticity but also by the weakening of the structures that support the face.

In particular, the lateral frame of the face is considered an area highly associated with aging. This is because it contains numerous retaining ligaments, which connect the skin and soft tissues to the bone to maintain the shape of the face.

Retaining ligaments are fibrous structures that support facial soft tissues, and their importance in facial aging and lifting treatments has recently garnered more attention through anatomical and clinical studies. Accordingly, the paradigm of filler procedures is also shifting away from simply filling in lost volume toward restoring the structural balance of the face.