Does face yoga actually work?
March 3, 2020 1:13 AM Subscribe
I keep seeing advertisements for this face yoga stuff. I doubt that it would do anything to tighten up wrinkled skin as it claims, but I'm wondering if it might have any other beneficial effects.
Specifically, I've noticed that one corner of my mouth seems to droop a little bit more than the other, and I am wondering if facial exercises might help. Or if there's any other reason facial exercising would be worth doing.
Thoughts?
Specifically, I've noticed that one corner of my mouth seems to droop a little bit more than the other, and I am wondering if facial exercises might help. Or if there's any other reason facial exercising would be worth doing.
Thoughts?
Calling it "face yoga" is largely hooey AFAICT. Actually doing facial exercises every day will help strengthen your facial muscles and keep your skin flexible, but as you age may also increase the lines around your eyes and mouth, and on your forehead. The positives probably outweigh the negatives, because you'll eventually get wrinkly regardless.
posted by aspersioncast at 5:03 AM on March 3, 2020 [3 favorites]
posted by aspersioncast at 5:03 AM on March 3, 2020 [3 favorites]
The most probable reason that one side of your face droops is that you are, like most of us, not entirely symmetrical.
It is also possible that you have been doing different things with the side of your face, like always sitting with one side in the sun, as when driving to and from work, or always sleeping on that side and smushing that side of your face into the pillow. But this is unlikely to have a visible effect unless it has been serious enough to age your skin a lot, or warp the bones and ligaments underneath. Of course twenty years of sitting with one leg up and one leg down, or clutching a pillow against the right side of your head can make your body asymmetrical with shortened ligaments and micro-millimetre differences in the size of the bones - but that is just the same as the asymmetry I mentioned above. Usually slight differences just happen because of the way you grew, as when your right foot turns out to be a size eight and a half and your left foot turns out to be a size eight and you spend the rest of your life wearing size eight and a half shoes and thick socks because that's the most comfortable adaption.
It is possible that it is muscular, but you would probably know because a habit of clenching your jaw on the right, like Popeye is likely to be obvious. Do you always chew on one side because the teeth on the other side are sensitive?
Face exercises feel good. A face massage is a wonderful thing. It stands to reason that if you weren't caught up on results face yoga might be an excellent self grooming and self caretaking and body appreciation exercise. But if every time you go through your face yoga routine it makes you look at the mirror and wince, it's body negativity, not body positivity.
posted by Jane the Brown at 5:31 AM on March 3, 2020 [2 favorites]
It is also possible that you have been doing different things with the side of your face, like always sitting with one side in the sun, as when driving to and from work, or always sleeping on that side and smushing that side of your face into the pillow. But this is unlikely to have a visible effect unless it has been serious enough to age your skin a lot, or warp the bones and ligaments underneath. Of course twenty years of sitting with one leg up and one leg down, or clutching a pillow against the right side of your head can make your body asymmetrical with shortened ligaments and micro-millimetre differences in the size of the bones - but that is just the same as the asymmetry I mentioned above. Usually slight differences just happen because of the way you grew, as when your right foot turns out to be a size eight and a half and your left foot turns out to be a size eight and you spend the rest of your life wearing size eight and a half shoes and thick socks because that's the most comfortable adaption.
It is possible that it is muscular, but you would probably know because a habit of clenching your jaw on the right, like Popeye is likely to be obvious. Do you always chew on one side because the teeth on the other side are sensitive?
Face exercises feel good. A face massage is a wonderful thing. It stands to reason that if you weren't caught up on results face yoga might be an excellent self grooming and self caretaking and body appreciation exercise. But if every time you go through your face yoga routine it makes you look at the mirror and wince, it's body negativity, not body positivity.
posted by Jane the Brown at 5:31 AM on March 3, 2020 [2 favorites]
I have the same problem and have wondered the same thing. This study was encouraging.
posted by whistle pig at 6:03 AM on March 3, 2020
posted by whistle pig at 6:03 AM on March 3, 2020
I had a period of time where I would stand front of the mirror every night and make crazy faces for 2 or 3 minutes with my partner.
The main effect was more comfort and control over what my face was doing. Another effect was more awareness of what my face was doing when it was expressing an emotion or reaction which I was not yet conscious of.
It was also fun.
posted by bdc34 at 7:57 AM on March 3, 2020 [2 favorites]
The main effect was more comfort and control over what my face was doing. Another effect was more awareness of what my face was doing when it was expressing an emotion or reaction which I was not yet conscious of.
It was also fun.
posted by bdc34 at 7:57 AM on March 3, 2020 [2 favorites]
Mmm, seconding that it's also fun. Like, it can feel surprisingly good to mug around a little bit in the mirror.
posted by aspersioncast at 11:28 AM on March 3, 2020
posted by aspersioncast at 11:28 AM on March 3, 2020
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