A major part of holistic living is taking care of your body, but one area of oversight that may exist is the face. Though many products are out there to help moisturize, rejuvenate, and exfoliate, what if there is a new solution that may make a more significant difference? One solution is called face yoga, and it may help you look younger and reduce stress in a few very simple ways.[1]
What is Face Yoga, and How Does it Work?
Face yoga is exercising or stimulating facial, neck, and shoulder muscles through stretching, massage, or acupressure. There are different forms of face yoga that can benefit individuals in various ways. For some, it may be better to focus on specific areas they are concerned about, like forehead lines, crow’s-feet, or frown lines. For others, it may be better to use face yoga for general maintenance and stress relief. Both options are reasonable, and any combination of the two can be effective. Depending on the ultimate goal, there are several exercises to choose from, and while they all may be beneficial, different people may choose to focus on different ones.[2]
The Benefits of Facial Yoga
While the effectiveness of facial yoga has been questioned, most participants claim to see results in as little as six to nine weeks.[3] One reported benefit of face yoga is that it can effectively create an anti-aging effect.[4] This is because aging is not just due to increased wrinkles and skin elasticity. It also comes from a deterioration of facial muscles underneath. This leads to looser-looking faces and can be prevented with more advanced facial muscular development.
Face yoga may also help eliminate stress. There are two reasons this may be the case. For starters, there is a possible placebo effect involved, where face yoga practitioners believe they are making a difference in their appearance and stress levels, which causes them to feel good. The other has to do with how our facial expressions are connected to our emotions. Obviously, our emotions can influence the look on our faces, but it also works in reverse. Meaning positive facial expressions can lead to positive emotions.[5] Practicing face yoga works the muscles in your face enough to generate these happy feelings, effectively lowering stress and improving the practitioner’s mood.
Reference List
- Department of Dermatology, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital, New Delhi, India. (2018, February 5). Face yoga: Preventive aesthetic dermatology. Researchgate.net. Retrieved December 14, 2022, from https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Deepak-Jakhar/publication/323946014_Face_Yoga_Preventive_aesthetic_dermatology/links/5b215ce9aca272277fa95b0b/Face-Yoga-Preventive-aesthetic-dermatology.pdf
- NIVEA. (2022, November 1). Face Exercises | Face Slimming Exercises | NIVEA. https://www.nivea.co.uk/advice/skin/face-exercises
- Van Borsel, J., De Vos, M. C., Bastiaansen, K., Welvaert, J., & Lambert, J. (2014). The Effectiveness of Facial Exercises for Facial Rejuvenation. Aesthetic Surgery Journal, 34(1), 22–27. https://doi.org/10.1177/1090820×13514583
- Alam, M., Walter, A. J., Geisler, A., Roongpisuthipong, W., Sikorski, G., Tung, R., & Poon, E. (2018). Association of Facial Exercise With the Appearance of Aging. JAMA Dermatology, 154(3), 365. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamadermatol.2017.5142
- Izard, C. E. (1990). Facial expressions and the regulation of emotions. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 58(3), 487–498. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.58.3.487
