Face Exercises

Are Face Exercises Really Beneficial for Anti-Aging?

By Adriana Ryding

Keeping our Facial Contours Toned is an Important Aspect of Total Body Health and key to Maintaining a Youthful Appearance

Logging hours of cardio workouts and strength training will provide a fit physique, but forgetting to focus above the neck will undoubtedly leave you with loose, sagging facial contours that don't match the rest of your hot body.

In an increasingly information-accessible world we are bombarded with information on how to stay looking younger longer.

The question has become:  Should we exercise our facial muscles the same way we exercise the rest of the muscles in our bodies?

From “facial yoga” to “facial building,” many people promote facial exercise programs, and the discussion of whether or not exercising facial muscles actually improves facial firmness has become the subject of hot debate.

Although the idea has been around for years, there are still no scientific studies to support these claims.

The Fact is that Lack of Muscle Tone is not the Cause of Sagging Skin on the Face

Lax facial contours are actually attributed to two major causes:  loss of the skin supporting structure collagen, and from repetitive movement, most commonly in the forehead, between the brows and around the mouth, neither of which can be improved by exercising facial muscles.

In fact, skeptics will tell you that doing facial “exercises” can actually contribute to wrinkles.

The major cause of lax facial contours is the breakdown of collagen fibers which have deteriorated over time, primarily from years of sun exposure.

Collagen fibers are long structural proteins that support most of the bodies tissues and gives cells their external structure. It is responsible for skin strength and elasticity, and once collagen is gone, it is almost impossible to replace.

Vitamin C is Essential for the Synthesis of New Collagen

As our bodies do not naturally produce this vitamin, it is important to include it in our diets.

In addition, using topical vitamin C in a skincare regimen may help.

Unfortunately, topical vitamin C (known as L-ascorbic acid) must be used in high concentrations to be effective in the formation of new collagen.

The product must contain 10% L-ascorbic acid, and in this high of a concentration it is known to be irritating to most people's skin.

These may be Disappointing Revelations, but the Fight against Wrinkles is not Entirely Fruitless

Making a commitment to staying out of the sun and drinking lots of water will help keep skin firm, hydrated, and youthful-looking.

The leading reason facial exercise programs are at best ineffective and at worst may even cause wrinkles is due to the fact that moving the skin is actually what causes it to sag.

The best way to never get wrinkles is to simply never move your face.

Since we all move our faces a million different ways a million times a day, it makes no sense that a few extra minutes of movement every day will make any major improvement.

Most facial exercise programs include tensing and working areas of your face to supposedly alleviate laugh lines, frown lines, and lines around the eyes and in the forehead.

These movements only increase tension in these areas, and can effectively increase the lines.

The Best way then, to Release these tense Facial Muscles, is Through Massage

Using your hands to gently separate and loosen the muscles can greatly improve the tone of your skin.

Added benefits of massaging above your neck include, but are certainly not limited to, the relief of tension headaches, sinus   congestion and stress.  You will also be stimulating the lymphatic system which, most glorious of all, slows the aging process.

When performing self facial massage, make sure you take a few moments initially to relax.  Close your eyes and breathe deeply, visualizing fresh oxygen traveling all throughout your face.

In order to work against gravity, always move in upward and outward motions.  With your fingers, gently work your areas of concern.  You should be able to feel the muscles surrounding the facial lines.  Gently pull them apart and smooth them out.

In general, large upward sweeping motions from the base of the neck to hairline will relax the face and create a youthful, rosy glow.  If you want to focus on lines between the brows, use your index and middle fingers, starting at the inside corner of the brows and firmly slide out.

For forehead lines use the same fingers, laid on top of the lines, quickly vibrating up and down while sliding outwards.  Try these movements each morning when applying moisturizer and sunscreen.

Watch Tension Lines Melt away and Luminosity Return!

There is no magic exercise to improve sagging skin on our faces, but by taking simple action to protect our faces from environmental damage such as staying out of the sun, making sure our diets are high in vitamin C, and drinking plenty of water, we can keep it healthy and strong.

Most importantly, be aware of how you deal with stress.  Don't allow it to lodge itself between your eyebrows or in your forehead and you can enjoy decades of firm, youthful skin.

Adriana Ryding

Esthetician and Freelance Writer

Contact Email

Exercise Information

Find anatomy, physiology and kinesiology information about everything except face exercises.  Click on any body part and find information about the best exercises and exercise videos which go along with it.

Exercise Video Library

Nothing but exercise videos categorized by body part and gym equipment used.  You will find over 300 exercises but no face exercises.

Nutrition

Proper nutrition has far better anti- aging properties than face exercises.  Learn how to create a healthy, long lasting nutrition plan and healthy lifestyle.

Supplements

Learn the basic information needed to make good choices while you look at dietary supplements.  Supplements have more anti- aging effects than face exercises.