Your health is 'written' on your face: Facial imaging exposes the dramatic pace of aging

According to a report by a Chinese research team, facial features are proven more reliable in determining how fast a person is aging and some related health issues than the usual blood tests.

MUNTINLUPA, PHILIPPINES (Catholic Online) - A report, published in the March 31 issue of the Cell Research journal, used a computerized 3D facial imaging process; the team found a number of hints on whether a person is aging faster than most people at the same age. These hints include a widening mouth, bulging nose, sagging upper lip, shrinking gums and drooping eye corners, as cited in the HealthDay report of Dennis Thompson.

The conclusion states that the facial scanning process could be more reliable than conventional physical tests, assessing the person's general health condition.

The process is a part of the "cutting-edge" technology that estimates life expectancy and gives assessment of health risk factors, according to Professor Jay Olshansky of the University of Illinois at Chicago's School of Public Health, and a board member of the American Federation for Aging Research.

Olshansky also explained that risk factors could be identified by looking at the face and the specific areas from where they appear.

"In aging science, we know people who look young for their age are aging more slowly. They look younger because they probably are younger. One year of clock time is matched by something less than one year of biological time. It's real. We can see it," Prof. Olshansky said.

This Lent, are you doing good? Give something today -- 

The research team used data from the 3D facial images of 332 people of Chinese descent, ages between 17 and 77. The data was used to recognize specific facial patterns, and the specific corresponding ages, enabling them to generate a map of human aging.

After comparing the yielded results with different results from blood tests, the face scan results were noted as more accurate on determining cholesterol, uric acid or blood protein albumin.

"And there's a reason for the saying, 'Long in the tooth.' Your gums are shrinking as you age, so more of your teeth are showing," said the chairwoman of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons' Public Education Committee Dr. Anne Taylor.

However, Dr. Stephen Park, president of the American Academy of Facial, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, warned there should be follow-up research because the study failed to include a control group, validation on how people on certain ages really look like.

---

'Help Give every Student and Teacher FREE resources for a world-class Moral Catholic Education'