Comparing Facial Aging Between Identical Twins With 3D Imaging
Trial statusNot yet recruiting
Trial phaseNot listed
Trial typeObservational
Biological sexAll
Age18+
SponsorPonsky Facial Aesthetics And Plastic Surgery, Llc
About this trial
Identical twins share the same genes, which makes them a powerful way to study how lifestyle and environment - rather than genetics - affect how faces age. This study builds on a landmark 2009 twin study by using modern three-dimensional (3D) facial imaging, which measures facial shape and volume precisely instead of relying on regular photographs. The study will also look at whether use of GLP-1 weight-loss medications (such as semaglutide or tirzepatide), sometimes associated with facial changes informally called "Ozempic face," is related to measurable differences in facial aging.
The study will enroll adult identical twin pairs attending the Twins Days Festival in Twinsburg, Ohio, in August 2026. Participation takes about 30 minutes and happens in a single visit at the festival study booth. Each twin will complete a questionnaire about lifestyle, environment, and medical history (such as sun exposure, smoking, sleep, and medication use) and have a 3D image of their face taken with a non-contact camera system. There is no treatment, no medication, no blood draw or biological sample, and no follow-up visit. Researchers will then compare facial measurements within each twin pair to learn which lifestyle and environmental factors are linked to visible facial aging.
Eligibility criteria
This trial accepts healthy volunteersQualifiers
Adults aged 18 years or older
Members of a monozygotic (identical) twin pair, with both twins present and willing to participate
Able to provide written informed consent in English
Disqualifiers
Age under 18 years
Inability or unwillingness to provide informed consent
Facial conditions or recent facial surgery that, in the investigator's judgment, would prevent standardized imaging
Pregnancy, by self-report
Trial population
Adult twin pairs attending the Twins Days Festival in Twinsburg, Ohio (August 8-9, 2026), the largest annual gathering of twins in the world. Participants are recruited on-site through a study booth and printed festival materials, and in advance through a study information page on the practice website. Anticipated enrollment is approximately 50 to 100 twin pairs (up to approximately 200 individual participants).
Trial design
Design model
Family-based
Time perspective
Prospective
Treatments tested in this trial
GLP-1 Receptor Agonists
DrugSelf-reported current or prior use of GLP-1 receptor agonist or other rapid weight-loss medication, recorded by participant questionnaire. No medication is administered, assigned, dispensed, or modified by the study; use is observed as a naturally occurring exposure. For the secondary objective, twin pairs discordant for self-reported GLP-1 receptor agonist use are compared with respect to midface and lower-face volume and contour.
Treatment groups
200 Participants
are divided into 1 treatment groupGroup A: Adult twin pairs1 intervention
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
1
Within-pair difference in quantitative three-dimensional facial surface measurements
Description: Volumetric and topographic facial measurements (facial volume and surface contour) derived from standardized 3D facial surface images, compared within each monozygotic twin pair. Within-pair differences are correlated with within-pair discordance in self-reported lifestyle, environmental, and medical exposures recorded by questionnaire.
Time frame
Day 1 (single study visit; all data collected at enrollment)Secondary outcomes
1
Within-pair difference in midface and lower-face volume and contour among twin pairs discordant for GLP-1 receptor agonist use
Midface and lower-face volume and contour measurements derived from standardized 3D facial surface images, compared within monozygotic twin pairs in which one twin reports current or prior GLP-1 receptor agonist use and the other does not.
Time frame
Day 1 (single study visit; all data collected at enrollment)Sponsors and contacts
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Source ClinicalTrials.gov
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