A new scientific study is the first to demonstrate that mothers and daughters look just like each other, expression- and appearance-wise, when they pass a certain age. The investigation reveals that, at least around the eyes, the patterns in which the skin gets saggy, wrinkled, thin, and less elastic are exactly the same for both senior women and their daughters. This is the first research to draw this conclusion scientifically, and not just infer it in a common setting, such as a family dinner, PhysOrg reports.

The science team was made up of plastic surgeons from the Loma Linda University Medical Center, in California. The experts noted that the similarities became really obvious when the daughters began to reach their mid 30s. Ten similar-looking mother/daughter pairs, aged from 19 to 90, were analyzed in the new investigation, the team reports. Dr. Matthew Camp, one of the surgeons in the science team, says that most of the studies previously conducted on the issue were subjective and observational, and did not follow rigorous scientific criteria in their analysis.

The tear ducts and the lower eyelids are the first regions of the face in which similarities between the two generations begin to become visible. These areas exhibit traits such as the loss of elasticity and slackening in the muscles as people of both genders begin to age. The discovery was presented last weekend, at the annual American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) conference, held in Seattle, Washington. According to Dr. Subhas Gupta, another member of the team, it may be that corrective surgeries could be planned in advance for daughters, especially around the eyes.

The expert says that analyzing a mother's evolution over time can hint at possible appearances that the daughters will have when they reach the same age. This will make it a lot easier for plastic surgeons to intervene, and to plan operations ahead of time, when shifting characteristics of the skin are not yet a problem. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, surgeries among the eyes were the fourth most common type of corrective medical intervention in the United States last year, which means that the new study will benefit thousands of women, the team concludes.