# Does everyone's head get wider as they get older?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everyones-head-get-wider-as-they-get-older/331683>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 15, 2005, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everyones-head-get-wider-as-they-get-older/331683 "2005-11-15T20:25:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ProTem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/51bf81/32.png) [@ProTem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ProTem)\
**Post date:** [November 15, 2005, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everyones-head-get-wider-as-they-get-older/331683/1 "2005-11-15T20:25:00Z")

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Looking at our old family photos it seems that way, but my dad says we are just getting fatter all over.

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**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\
**Post date:** [November 17, 2005, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everyones-head-get-wider-as-they-get-older/331683/2 "2005-11-17T05:05:38Z")

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Reagan was simply chubbier-cheeked in the later picture than in the earlier one.

I’m not buying your premise. The overwhelmingly tendency of most elderly people to put on weight and loss muscle mass would mask any minor amount of widening, even if any took place.

A minority of people do seem to shrink their facial features and that too would indicate no head widening.

Gotta go with your dad on this one.

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**Author:** ![Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnac_the_Magnificent)\
**Post date:** [November 17, 2005, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everyones-head-get-wider-as-they-get-older/331683/3 "2005-11-17T05:21:47Z")

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In a report released about 3-4 weeks ago, computer analysis suggests that the skull–including the facial bones–begin to shrink, in older people. The authors hypothesized that this bone shrinkage accounts for some of the features (sagging skin, hollowing of cheeks, etc) characteristic of old age.

Try Google.

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**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\
**Post date:** [November 17, 2005, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everyones-head-get-wider-as-they-get-older/331683/4 "2005-11-17T12:48:39Z")

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I think the OP may be referring to getting older as in going from young adult to middle aged adult, and I’ve noticed that people’s heads and necks seem to get thicker during that period.

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**Author:** ![Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnac_the_Magnificent)\
**Post date:** [November 17, 2005, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everyones-head-get-wider-as-they-get-older/331683/5 "2005-11-17T20:55:02Z")

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> [@ProTem](#):
>
> Yeah, I’m definitely not thinking of the bone loss phase of old ladies shrinking into their sofas.

My guess is this process starts in the 50s, not 70s or 80s, but I get your point.

Alternative theory: thinning hair around temples reveals more scalp, thus giving appearance of wider head.