The preliminary study of the relationship between facial movements and wrinkle formation

Abstract

As facial wrinkles develop particularly in areas of the skin that are subject to repeated facial movements, the degree of facial movements may be related to the degree of facial wrinkles, although no data have been reported. Wrinkles were graded on the faces of Japanese female subjects when they made strong voluntary facial movements (eyes closed tightly, raised eyebrows, and frowns) and also when they were at rest using a set of photos (a photo scale) obtained from subjects with different degrees of wrinkles in the static and dynamic states. Scores obtained were compared between the dynamic and static states, and were analyzed in relation to age and to facial region. We found that the levels of wrinkles in both states showed a significant positive correlation with age. Further, the distribution of wrinkles in the dynamic state was found to be similar to those in the static states. Finally, the correlations between static and dynamic wrinkles in the same facial sites were higher than those in different facial sites. Facial movements cause wrinkling in both the dynamic and the static states and also that static wrinkles may work at the kinetic origins of dynamic wrinkles.