Volume is lost in many areas of the face as we get older. The areas that lose volume are: the cheeks, the brow and the lips. As the cheeks sag and lose volume, they descend from their usual high position in the face near the eyes, to a lower position. This leads to the formation of nasolabial folds (the folds from the corners of the nose to the mouth), oral commisures (the folds just beneath the corners of the mouth) and then jowls (the skin that sags beneath the jawline) . This leads to a more square appearance to the face. Volume can also be lost in the brows, which exposes the upper orbital rim, giving the face a more skeletal appearance.

Procedures such as face lifting alone can help to reduce the wrinkles and sag, but without adding the volume that was lost, often an unnatural result can occur.