Face fat is caused by overall weight gain (poor diet, lack of exercise, alcohol), water retention (high salt, dehydration), genetics, aging, sleep deprivation, and sometimes hormonal changes or medications, leading to fat deposits or puffiness in the face. While genetics influences where you store fat, lifestyle factors like diet and activity levels are key to managing facial fullness, which often reduces as you lose overall body fat.
Excess facial fat typically occurs from weight gain resulting from a poor diet, lack of exercise, aging or genetic conditions. Fat is usually more visible in the cheeks, jowls, under the chin and neck.'' Other factors can contribute to a puffy face or chubby jowls.
Weight gain is typically the cause of facial fat, and your diet plays a critical role. People who eat food with saturated fat and transfats tend to gain weight overall, and the face is no exception. Lack of an adequate amount of exercise can also lead to weight gain and fat deposits in the face.
Regular cardiovascular exercise helps to reduce your overall weight which should also reduce the amount of fat in your cheeks and face. Drink more water. Water can help you feel fuller so you don't snack as often or eat as much at meals which, like cardio, can help you slim down overall. Get more sleep.
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You may simply have a genetic pre-disposition to store more fat in your face and buccal fat pads. Additionally, many people are simply born with a naturally larger or thicker buccal fat pads. This fat storage isn't always evenly distributed either – you may have larger buccal fat pads but have a slim body.
Try to eat more whole foods like vegetables, fruit, lean proteins, and whole grains. These can help support steady weight loss and reduce puffiness.
Non-surgical treatments like Kybella or Ultherapy can reduce facial fullness, but the results are usually more subtle and take longer to show up. Surgery offers more dramatic and immediate changes, especially for those with significant fat or loose skin.
Loss of Collagen and Elastin : As we age, the production of collagen and elastin in the skin decreases, leading to sagging skin that starts to droop and lose volume. This causes the face to appear longer or more expanded, particularly around the jawline and chin area.
Sugary foods: Sugary food items like cookies, cake, candy, and other sweets can contribute to weight gain and bloating. As a result, they can also lead to increased face fat. Fried foods: French fries, fried chicken, and other fried foods can also cause weight gain and lead to more face fat.
And as we age, we naturally lose facial fat. "Our facial fat pads shrink, and our facial skeleton even shrinks, all of which leads to deflation and ultimately contributes to sagging as that internal support is diminished," said Kristy Hamilton, MD.
5 Ways To Depuff Your Face
Skin becomes loose and sagging, bones lose their mass, and muscles lose their strength as a result of time spent living life. Most people begin to notice a shift in the appearance of their face around their 40's and 50's, with some also noticing a change in their 30's.
How to lose face fat
The medical term is moon facies (caused by fat accumulation in the face) or facial plethora (caused by increased blood flow to the face and facial swelling), which is a relatively common symptom of Cushing's syndrome where there is weight gain in the face that generally also comes with redness in the face.
By lowering carbohydrates, the body turns to stored fat for energy, which can help in losing fat deposits, including those in the face. High-protein foods like lean meats, fish, eggs, and legumes help increase satiety and muscle mass, contributing to a toned appearance, which can enhance facial features.
What causes weight gain in the face?
“When you sleep on your side, you're applying constant pressure to one half of your face,” she explains. “That repeated compression can gradually soften the fat pads in the cheeks, creating the appearance of volume loss and etching in fine lines or creases that don't always disappear by morning,” she explains.
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At 22% body fat, men often have a softer midsection, less muscle definition, and a healthy but not overly lean look, while women typically appear athletic and toned, with some ab definition visible when flexing and definition in arms and legs, sitting in the "fitness" or "average" range for both genders, though visual appearance varies by individual.
Watermelon. This hydrating fruit is super low in calories and one of the best fruits that can help to get rid of excess water stored in the body and around the face.
Salty and processed foods: High sodium content leads to water retention, making your face look puffy. Alcohol: Dehydrates your body, causing fluid imbalance and swelling. Refined carbohydrates: White bread, pastries, and sugary snacks contribute to inflammation and bloating.
High levels of the stress hormone cortisol can cause the face to gradually swell into a rounded shape and is often the result of prolonged use of corticosteroids, Cushing syndrome or other underlying medical issues.