One signal

Update

What changed

The BBC says FaceAge, a separate tool being evaluated by the research team, estimates biological age from a face photograph. The researchers identify forehead lines, crow’s feet, the cheeks and folds around the mouth among the features it uses.

Lead researcher Raymond Mak told the BBC that FaceAge was “surprisingly consistent” across photos with differences in lighting, pose, expression and make-up. The report says the researchers saw only a small shift after rhinoplasty in the procedures they tested.

The BBC also quotes University of Surrey expert Miroslaw Bober warning that predicting an outcome is not the same as explaining it. He says the tools need testing against doctors’ judgement and across more hospitals and patient groups before clinical use.

Sources and evidence

• Can a simple photo of your face reveal how ill you are? – BBC: The BBC reports additional details about the FaceAge tool’s facial indicators and the researchers’ findings on photo variation, alongside an expert warning that predictive results do not explain their causes.

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