Aging affects on aspects of the face from the skin down to the bone. Virtually no structure at any tissue level is spared. But some facial structures have been purported to actually keep growing as we age, a biologic process that seem contradictory to the general aging process where cellular division and turnover slows down considerably. The two facial areas that are said to keep growing until we die are the nose and the ears. Both become longer and photographs of people over time on close inspection will generally support that premise. But is thus actual active structural growth? The answer is no. The ears and the nose do get longer but do so because their mature natural structure has become elongated. The vertical length of the ear becomes measurably longer because the unsupported earlobe elongates from ear ring wear and gravity. The dorsal length of the nose, as measured from the frontonasal junction down to tip, also lengthens as the tip cartilages weaken and droop with age increasing this distance. This also explains the surgical rejuvenative effect when the the tip of the nose is elevated (tip rhinoplasty) and the earlobes are shortened. (earlobe reduction)
Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana