NCJ Number
218809
Date Published
April 2000
Length
11 pages
Annotation
In order to provide guidance for investigators who must identify victims and suspects for whom there are no recent photographs available, this paper discusses age-related changes that occur naturally in the human face as well as characteristic changes in facial appearance caused by a number of variables.
Abstract
In discussing the biology and chronology of aging, the authors note that the aging process in a given individual is largely determined by genetics and general variation in human facial features. Differences in the rate of aging between men and women have been documented by many researchers, who attribute the apparently faster aging in females to sex-specific characteristics such as skin thickness and hormonal activity. Although aging in general is unpredictable, the sequence of events involved in the aging process is relatively predictable and progressively physically degenerative. Because of the many genetic, environmental, and lifestyle variables that influence the speed and nature of facial appearance over time, facial recognition, identification, and reconstruction should be viewed as an art rather than a science. This paper describes the predictable stages of aging. A section on internal and external factors that affect facial aging discusses changes in facial appearance due to the amount of body fat; environmental factors (ultraviolet radiation and dry and windy conditions); use of various types of drugs, including alcohol and tobacco; and stress and sleeping patterns. Other sections of the paper address age-related changes in the facial bones and teeth; facial changes caused by trauma and surgery; and the intentional modification of facial appearance through orthodontic treatment, plastic surgery, and external artifacts. 1 figure and 29 references