Have you ever been surprised to hear that you looked tired or sad, even though you were not? Emotional and social cues are reflected upon our faces, even when they do not represent our true emotions and physical state(1). Studies have shown that specific facial characteristics convey negative messages.
For example, eye bags indicate tiredness, furrows between the eyebrows express anger and deep nasolabial folds (lines from the bottom of the nose to the corners of the mouth) convey sadness. Sociologists and Biologists who have examined facial signals, concluded that their meanings are universal across all cultures, and described the face as an organ of communication and personal expression, rather than a mere reflexion of fashion and beauty (2). Therefore, changes that occur with ageing may cause the face to "malfunction" and convey miscues and messages that do not represent our true emotions. This in turn can have a negative impact on our social interactions and thus put us at an evolutionary disadvantage.
Correcting such "deficiencies", not only restores beauty, but also our ability to more effectively and accurately communicate with the world, which in turn can improve our psychological well-being and increase the satisfaction we get out of life.
References:
1. De Maio M. MD CodesTM: A Methodological Approach to Facial Aesthetic Treatment with Injectable Hyaluronic Acid Fillers. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2020;
2. Khan JA. Aesthetic surgery: Diagnosing and healing the miscues of human facial expression. Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. 2001.