Arlington Heights, Ill. — A new study suggests that gravity may not be the primary cause of facial aging after all, reports PRNewswire-USNewswire.

Results of the study, published in the June issue of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons journal, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, indicate that the face is composed of distinct fat compartments that change with age — and that the degree to which the face ages is partly the result of how these compartments change over time. Previous theories hold that facial fat is a single mass that eventually is weighed down by gravity, resulting in sagging skin.

According to the study, the face is composed of fat partitioned into discrete units around the forehead, eyes, cheek and mouth. As people age, contour changes occur between these regions due to volume loss and gain and repositioning of the compartments. These changes lead to sagging or hollowed skin and wrinkles, the study says.

The study notes that with this new information, plastic surgeons will be able to more precisely determine the location of trouble areas and treat them with the appropriate fillers to add volume to individual facial sections. In addition, write the study’s authors, the discovery could enable plastic surgeons to better understand facial deformities, such as cleft lips and vessel tumors.