Facial gymnastics: what it is and how it can help you

Our face and neck need, like the rest of our body, to exercise every day. Facial gymnastics has become a practice that very few have been able to resist trying. Grimaces, controlled movements, fun exercises that help tone the muscles that you notice the most over time and that we often forget in our exercise routines .

Taking care of our body is a fundamental pillar and that is why we try to find the best options to stay healthy. We practice sports, we try to eat a balanced diet and we complement this lifestyle with the use of cosmetic products that respect our skin. Within this daily routine, today we want to place special emphasis on the areas of the face and neck, now less visible due to the mandatory use of masks but which we should not neglect.

When we smile, get angry, are surprised or feel some type of emotion we are exercising our face. We contract the 57 muscles that make up the face and neck about 15 thousand times in a single day and that is why they also need us to dedicate a few minutes to them. Does the term “facial gymnastics” sound familiar to you? You may associate stretches and exercise routines with other parts of your body, but below you will discover how you can perform a varied series of movements that will help you stimulate these muscles.

Facial gymnastics is a common practice in Eastern societies that has gradually made its way to the West. Seeking to maintain the level of elasticity and firmness of the skin, many people have already adopted this interesting method against premature aging of the face and neck.

What is facial gymnastics?

Facial gymnastics is based on performing various exercises that, through repetition, help tone and train the muscles of the face and neck . By stimulating the facial muscles, it produces a greater concentration of elastin and collagen fibers, which directly intervenes in the prevention of premature aging of the dermis.

Practicing it also helps reduce the tension that is generated when we perform certain gestures. The frontal area, the interciliary area, which is the area between the eyebrows, the periocular area and the buccal area are some of the areas in which great tension can be generated and which we can relax thanks to this practice.

Now that you know what facial gymnastics consists of, we will tell you how you can get started in it. You don't need any accessories, your hands and perseverance will be enough. But if you want you can use a gua sha stone to perform a massage. They are very practical. If you are very interested in this type of massage, we recommend this article .

How can I do facial gymnastics?

The first thing you should know is that They are exercises that have to be done calmly , being aware of each movement. These are a few minutes in which it is important to be relaxed and forget about the clock , stand in front of the mirror and enjoy the time you dedicate to yourself! You can choose to do them at the end of the day since by relaxing doing them you will also release the tension accumulated throughout the day.

As for frequency, twice a week is a good option to start, then you can increase the frequency if you wish and practice it whenever you notice tension.

Likewise, as in any type of sport or physical exercise that you are going to do, the first and most important thing is the warming up . Even if you think you can skip this step, it is essential. You can perform a gentle massage with your fingertips to stimulate circulation. A good option is to do it by applying your usual moisturizing cream, apply it with upward movements on the areas you want to exercise and you will provide hydration, luminosity and freshness, extra benefits that your skin will appreciate.

Some exercises to…

– Tone the skin of the face: close your mouth and move your tongue from right to left and vice versa in repetitions of 10. A simple exercise that will help you in this task.

– Improve neck and jowls: place your hands horizontally at the base of the neck, raise your face looking toward the ceiling and purse your lips, so you can exercise these areas that are sometimes more problematic. Another exercise you can do is to slowly, alternately turn your head until it is aligned with each shoulder. Once the latter occurs, suck your cheeks inward, making the well-known “fish face.” About 15 repetitions will be enough to gradually notice its effects.

If you want to focus on the jowl area specifically, you can lift your chin, place your hand under your jaw muscles, and stretch forward and up.

– Reduce and prevent forehead wrinkles: place your fingertips vertically in the center of the forehead and slide towards the temples. After this exercise, you can treat this area by placing your hands horizontally this time and stretching towards the scalp while performing the opposite movement with the eyebrows. It is very important in this second exercise that you do not frown, otherwise we would be achieving a counterproductive effect. You can do series of between 15 to 20 repetitions.

– Tone and activate the cheekbone area: Gently pinch this area towards the temple and along the entire jawline. As in previous exercises, 20 repetitions per area are enough to activate microcirculation, provide luminosity and tone this part of your face.

– Combat small lip wrinkles: for this purpose we present one of the most fun exercises. Pronounce the vowels out loud (a, e, i, o. u) trying to vocalize as much as possible. Repeat it 10 times.

– Treat the eye contour: as if you were typing on a computer, perform this movement with your fingers starting with the area where bags usually appear, moving up to the eyebrows and completing the exercise by closing the circle.

Just as you should start by warming up your muscles, it is important that you relax them once you finish your exercises. Perform a new massage with your fingertips and, after this, five slow abdominal breaths with your eyes closed. There is no better way to end!

Benefits of facial gymnastics

One of the reasons to perform facial gymnastics is that it normalizes blood and lymph circulation thanks to the release of muscle tension. In our face there are thousands of capillaries that, when there is tension in the muscles, are blocked so that our face is not optimally nourished. Thanks to this practice you will be able to solve this problem. On the other hand, it improves skin oxygenation, in turn activating the tissue regeneration process and cellular metabolism.

Another recommended use of facial gymnastics according to experts is to promote rehabilitation in facial neuromuscular paralysis processes.

Its long-term benefits and results will depend on your consistency, but if you decide to accept it as a practice within your care routine, you will be able to see how your skin thanks you by giving you a healthy appearance.