How Facial Bones change with age and The deeper foundations of Facial Ageing

By Julia Hart, The Electric Facialist

When we talk about ageing skin, we usually think about collagen, hydration and the skin barrier. But the shape of our face also depends on something much deeper: the bones beneath it.

The facial skeleton gives our features their underlying framework. As that framework gradually remodels, it can change the support available to the tissues above it. Understanding this helps explain why some changes in facial shape need a broader approach than skincare alone.

For me, this is an interesting part of the skin longevity conversation. What happens beneath the surface matters too.

Bone is living tissue

Bone is constantly renewed. Cells called osteoclasts remove bone, while osteoblasts make new bone. This process helps the skeleton adapt and maintain itself throughout life. 

Facial ageing involves changes in bone shape as well as bone density. These are different measurements: density describes mineral within bone, while shape determines its contours and projection.

In a small study of 60 adults, researchers found lower bone mineral density in the upper and lower jaw in middle-aged participants than in younger adults. Because the study compared different people, it cannot tell us exactly how quickly an individual face changes. 

Our facial bones do not simply shrink evenly. Some regions lose support or change their angles, while others follow different patterns.

The changes we may notice

Around the eyes. Imaging studies have found enlargement of the bony orbital opening and changes in parts of its rim with age. This can contribute to altered support around the lower eyelids and a more hollow-looking eye area. [3]

Through the cheeks and upper jaw. The maxilla, or upper jaw, can become less projecting as its shape changes. This may contribute to a flatter midface and more pronounced folds alongside the nose. A CT study found age-related changes in maxillary angles in both men and women. 

Around the nose and upper lip. The bony opening of the nose can widen. A small study following the same people for approximately a decade documented widening alongside changes in the upper jaw. These changes can affect the framework supporting the nasal base and nearby tissues. 

Along the jawline. Research has reported changes in mandibular height, length and angle. The resulting alteration in support can contribute to changes in lower-face contour. 

These are contributing factors, rather than a complete explanation for any one feature. Skin, fat, muscles and connective tissues also age, and their changes interact. A deeper fold or softer jawline cannot tell us how much bone someone has lost. 

Why dental health belongs in this conversation

The bone surrounding our teeth is particularly important. Tooth loss can lead to resorption of the local supporting bone, adding another influence on facial structure. Maintaining oral health and discussing missing teeth with a dentist therefore belongs in a thoughtful approach to facial longevity.

Age-related facial remodelling and osteoporosis are not interchangeable diagnoses. Menopause is relevant because declining oestrogen can accelerate skeletal bone loss, but visible facial changes alone do not diagnose osteoporosis. If you have risk factors, discuss bone health with your GP.

Could microcurrent support facial bone health?

This is a question I wanted to investigate because electrical aesthetics is central to my work.

Bone responds to mechanical and electrical influences, and electrical stimulation has been studied in bone repair. An early clinical study used small direct currents in patients with jaw fractures, with electrodes delivering current directly to the treatment site. That setting is very different from moving facial probes over intact skin. [9]

There is also intriguing aesthetic research. A preliminary study in four patients reported mandibular growth after a specially designed electrical device was surgically implanted over the chin bone for 12 months. The study was small and uncontrolled. It investigated a surgical implant for an underdeveloped jaw, rather than routine facial microcurrent for age-related bone loss. 

The practical conclusion is that electrical stimulation can influence bone under particular conditions. It does not establish that a professional or home facial microcurrent device preserves facial bone density, reverses skeletal ageing or rebuilds the upper jaw.

I remain interested in this area, but I would want controlled human studies using imaging or bone measurements before making a bone-building claim. A visible change in facial contour after treatment is not evidence that the bone underneath has grown.

Curious about electrical skincare? Read What Is Microcurrent?, or explore ageLOC Boost for a simple at-home routine focused on skin radiance and hydration.

What about bone tapping

The idea behind bone tapping comes from real biology: bones respond to mechanical forces. However, a biological explanation is only the beginning of a treatment claim.

My search did not identify controlled human trials showing that tapping the face restores facial bone density, rebuilds cheekbones or prevents age-related skeletal remodelling.

Fingertip tapping through skin is also a different stimulus from the loading studied in bone research. We do not have an established facial tapping dose, frequency or long-term bone outcome.

I would describe gentle tapping as an optional sensory ritual, rather than a proven bone treatment. There is no reason to make it harder in pursuit of bone growth. Avoid forceful percussion, tools, the eyeballs and painful or recently treated areas.

Where low level light and PEMF fit

Photobiomodulation and pulsed electromagnetic fields have also been investigated in bone healing. For example, a preliminary mandibular fracture trial compared PEMF and low intensity laser treatment after surgical repair. 

This is worth following, but healing a fracture is a different question from preserving the healthy facial skeleton as we age. The research does not establish that a cosmetic light or PEMF facial prevents facial bone loss.

The foundations we can support now

For general skeletal health, the strongest practical advice remains regular weight-bearing activity and resistance exercise, adequate calcium and vitamin D, avoiding smoking and limiting excess alcohol. 

These measures support bone health across the body; they have not been shown to recreate youthful facial contours. Supplements should address dietary needs or clinical advice rather than promise fuller cheekbones.

Keep dental care consistent, and seek individual assessment when osteoporosis risk is a concern. Facial treatments and skincare can remain part of caring for the face, with realistic expectations about which tissues they can affect.

My perspective

Understanding facial bones gives us a more complete view of ageing. It also helps us recognise the limits of a surface treatment.

I find the electrical biology of bone fascinating. There are genuine research questions here, and I will continue following them. For now, I want to keep the distinction clear between an interesting mechanism, an experimental treatment and an outcome demonstrated for the devices we use.

For a personalised approach to skin longevity, discover my Energy Facial, combining advanced microcurrent, light and oxygen therapies to care for your skin.

Skin longevity means caring for the whole person, including the foundations beneath the skin.

Continue your skin longevity journey with my curated Anti-Ageing Collection, featuring skincare chosen to support hydration, firmness and a healthy skin barrier.