Can you work out your face to look younger? Researchers at Northwestern University say yes, you can.
Results of a recent Northwestern study show that participants were assessed as looking three years younger on average after performing a series of facial exercises over a 20-week period.
The study is the first-ever clinical research project on how facial exercises can improve the appearance of middle-aged women.
The motivation for the study was to provide a nonsurgical alternative to the face-lift or other facial surgery procedures.
The study used facial exercises designed by yoga instructor Gary Sikorski. Sikorski has created a series of online facial exercise videos called “Happy Face Yoga.”
There were 16 participants in the study, with an average age of 54.
Participants were given a 90-minute training session to learn exercises such as “cheek pushups.” They were instructed to practice them for 30 minutes every day for eight weeks, and then 30 minutes every other day for weeks nine through 20.
Participant photos taken before the exercise program began, as well as photos taken at the eight-week and 20-week marks, were reviewed at the end of the study by two cosmetic dermatologists.
The dermatologists assessed the participants as looking younger at the eight-week and 20-week period than in their baseline photos.
On average, the participants looked nearly three years younger, with their estimated age dropping from 50.8 to years to 48 years by the end of the study.
The dermatologists who reviewed the study were skeptical before their assessment of the women and feared that repeated motions may contribute to aging by causing wrinkles.
“Wrinkles and lines develop because of repeated facial expressions,” said Dr. Christy Walker, a dual-board-certified cosmetic surgeon and OB-GYN practicing in Plano, Texas.
“As we age, skin loses collagen and elastin and we also lose fat volume from our face. These factors in combination with repeated facial expressions can lead to wrinkles and creases,” Walker said.
Findings of the study showed that while the exercises did not contribute to the creation of wrinkles, they did help to increase the size of facial muscles. The study authors posited that the buildup of facial muscles helped to fill out the face, pull skin tighter and improve the appearance of the participants.
“When faces lose fat volume and muscles become lax, sagging occurs,” Walker said.
Many individuals turn to the face-lift surgery to correct facial aging, but not everyone wants an invasive procedure.
“Many people are looking to noninvasive or minimally invasive procedures and treatments that give the results of the face-lift surgery but without the risks and downtime of surgery,” Walker said.
It is no secret that minimally invasive cosmetic procedures are on the rise. One U.S. agency reported that there were 1.2 million more minimally invasive and nonsurgical cosmetic procedures performed in 2016 than the previous year.
Procedures that fall into the minimally invasive category include injectables such as Botox or dermal fillers. Nonsurgical procedures include skin-resurfacing and rejuvenation treatments and nonsurgical skin-tightening procedures.
One skin-tightening procedure is the Silhouette Instalift, which lifts the face by targeting deeper layers of facial skin.
“The ability to reach deeper into the tissues of the face means the ability to stimulate collagen production at deeper levels, which means more skin-tightening benefits,” Walker said.
The procedure takes less than one hour, and results are immediately noticeable, two benefits that Walker says are attractive to many individuals.
“Patients not only want to look great, but they also want to look great fast. Gone are the days that you have to be down for weeks or months after a procedure,” Walker said.
To learn more about the Silhouette Instalift, call our office today at 469-238-8084 to schedule a consultation.
To learn more about the Silhouette Instalift and other treatments available at our office, call 469-238-8084 to schedule a consultation.
Source:
NBC News. These face exercises actually help women look a little younger, study shows. 5 January 2018.
