JAWS ... Once Again Terrifies Aging Boomers Dr. David J. Demko, gerontologist and editor AgeVenture News Service 03-07-08 JAWS !!! Once again, a terrifying experience, especially for aging boomers. No, I'm not talking about JAWS, the movie. I'm referring to your jaw, the lower part of your face. It seems your facial features can effect an aged or youthful appearance. Researchers found that individuals who have a relatively smaller lower face (jaw) are more youthful in appearance. More youthful than those blessed with a square-shaped jaw, like the cartoon character Dudlee DoRight, or Super Man (and look how he ended up). Square-jawed faces may be making you look older, say researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center. I'm sure that conclusion has nothing to do with the fact that the researchers, cosmetic surgeons, make big bucks re-arranging the faces of well-healed boomers. Never the less, I was intrigued by the study's findings. The researchers compared radiographs from eight men and eight women over their lifetimes. In case you're curious, a radiograph is a photo image produced by invisible light such as x-rays.. At any rate, the study discovered that the lower jaw (mandible) continued to grow and widen, changing the shape of the face as the person matures. So says plastic surgeon Dr. Joel Pessa, lead author of the study which is now published in the journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Dr. Pessa is an expert in facial aging. A smaller lower face is generally perceived as more attractive, say the researchers. In fact, a smaller lower face often conveys an impression of youth, regardless of gender. Some people ... er, faces ... have all the luck. I find this revelation rather comforting. Remember all those square-jawed bullies who kicked sand in the "small-jawed" faces of defenseless weaklings? Well, call it, Revenge of the Nerds. Because those bullies will suffer the wrath of Father Time, appearing much older than their years. Then, small-jawed weaklings will become the new chick-magnets, while the aged-faced square-jaws spend Saturday nights in front of the TV at home, watching Super Man re-runs, alone. And now, the proverbial final-word. “As a result, cosmetic procedures and surgeries that create the illusion of a diminutive lower face will make you look younger and improve the cosmetic result of a face lift,” according to Dr. Rod Rohrich, chairman of plastic surgery at UT Southwestern and senior author of the study. Hmmm, I wonder if the researchers know where I can get my jaw "de-squared" ... you know, for that ... youthful look ?