Why Facial Exercises Don’t Help with Wrinkles

The concept of “exercising” the face to reduce signs of aging has become very popular in recent times and has been promoted by many celebrities. As our skin loses elasticity over time, it can be challenging to maintain a youthful appearance, so many people are searching for new ways to maintain supple, smooth skin. Those people also tend to prefer solutions that are as natural as possible. Certain facial exercises are supposedly designed to slim the cheeks and reduce wrinkles, and supporters of this method believe that by strengthening muscles you add definition to the face to counteract the deflation of skin. In reality, there is little to no scientific evidence showing that these exercises help you achieve any improvement. The truth is that these facial exercises should not be thought of as a replacement for wrinkle relaxers. As our Albuquerque-based team puts it: They’re ultimately just a fad. In fact, dermatologists know that these exercises won’t have any benefit—and can actually do more harm than good.

We know that regularly exercising other areas of the body keeps us fit and looking younger. For people who want slimmer, more defined cheeks, however, repetitive muscle movements won’t be of any help. While exercise strengthens muscles and burns calories, we can’t control where those calories come from. In other words, we can’t determine from where we lose fat. As spot reduction isn’t possible, exercising the face won’t make the cheeks smaller. Even if the muscles temporarily become bigger, the effect is only temporary. 

When it comes to wrinkles, facial exercises may also have the undesirable effect of making the face look older. Facial muscles are attached to the skin and stretch it in various directions. Since muscle movement is what causes many wrinkles to form in the first place, the repetitive contractions from movements such as frowning, smiling, or pursing the lips may only cause wrinkles to develop at a faster rate or make existing lines deeper and more visible. 

The better thing to do is find your most relaxed facial expression and focus on maintaining that. Moisturize, apply sunscreen each day, and use BOTOX^® to relax overworked facial muscles. 

For more information, contact The Spa @ Western Dermatology Consultants. Call 505-855-9267 or submit a contact formto meet with us.