Age effects on facial muscles

Pippadog · 09-19-14, 09:21 AM

Hi

I'm finding we are all aiming to be as healthy and as toned as we can be. I have recently done well with the weight loss and toning up. I'm really grateful for that. However, with the weight loss I have noticed how saggy and gaunt my face looks lol. I'm 46 and with the weight loss and ageing process the muscles in my face look very low and I could do with a daily workout on my face. I can't afford surgery although a facelift, botox and eye lift would probably do the job. Any suggestions for facial exercises? Do they work or is just surgery the option?

Surely, all things being equal, muscles in the face can be worked on in the same way as the rest of the body. But it seems more and more the only alternative is surgery.

Laura
x

Vee · 09-19-14, 09:47 AM

Laura,

If your photos on facebook are anything to go by, you are beautiful. I see no sagging or gauntness. You look ten years younger than your age.

I think muscles are only a small part of facial aging. In youth, fat and collagen are evenly distributed in the face. With aging the padding of fat and collagen is lost patchily which means less support to the skin. That creates sagging. In addition if people gain fat as they age, it tends to settle in the lower part of the face, in the jowls and under the chin. That drags the face downward. The muscles in the face are small. The role they play is with repeated frowning and laughing, they drag the skin until it loses elasticity and ridges form. Then, sun and pollution can damage the skin. Skin also loses moisture with age and dry skin gets wrinkly faster. I don't know the answer to your question, but if my facts are right, I womder if exercise can help much. Can facial muscles be "toned up" enough to compensate for the loss of fat? I think skin looks younger when people get enough hydration, nutrition and sleep, avoid pollution and strong sun and make time to unwind/relax from stress.

PittyPat · 09-19-14, 10:51 AM

Well, I'm brand spankin' new here with no credibility, but I've had lots of experience with facial exercise. I agree with nearly everything Vee has said, except I know that facial exercise can make enough of a difference to matter. It can probably make a bigger difference the younger you are when you start. I started when I was 52 and I am quite happy with the improvements I've made to my face, jawline and neck.

There are many programs out there, and I've used a lot of them. They range from face yoga to heavy-duty resistance training to easy-breezy and lots in between (Carol Maggio's Facercise is very popular, for example). I still use a couple of moves I learned from Flex Effect (the heavy duty option which served me well for a few years) and Carolyn's Facial Fitness, which gave my lower face a more feminine look than FE. Oh, and the forehead one from Tom's free Shape Your Face program makes a huge improvement to opening up my face. I was surprised and delighted to find, though, that my best and easiest to attain results came from a lesser-known program developed by a kinesiologist called Face Works. Even after years of facial exercise, this one really lifted my cheeks and filled in under my eyes where there is so much less fat than when I was younger. It has really improved my jawline, lifted my mouth corners and diminished the "mean" wrinkle between my eyebrows. I wish I'd found this one a lot sooner, as it pulled everything together. Do I look 40 again at 58? Nah. But I don't feel at all bad about my neck, jawline, or nasolabial area. I have a pleasant expression when my face is at rest with no jowling or sad look. It's kind of like Classical Stretch for the face and neck. It seems too easy to work as well as it does, but it does.

I know you can do a lot with Botox and fillers, lasers, peels and microcurrent treatments at the day spa. I'm a stay-at-home-and-take-care-of-it-myself type, though, and I'm very happy with what I've achieved. What do you have to lose by trying a few free exercises you find on Youtube?

Cathy

Vee · 09-19-14, 11:45 AM

Welcome to VF Cathy!

PittyPat · 09-19-14, 12:21 PM

Thanks, Vee. I had lots of questions regarding body exercise, but when I finally was approved to join the forum, the threads I wanted to post to sorta disappeared. Then this popped up and I couldn't resist adding my two cents.

I love the energy of this board, along with the wide variety of people and their workout styles. It's inspiring to me.

Pippadog · 09-19-14, 12:37 PM

Hi all

Thank you for your comments. Welcome Cathy. You certainly sound as if you have alot of knowledge about facial 'workouts' per se.

Vee Thank you for your comments, you're so sweet. I certainly wouldn't consider myself a beauty lol. Far from it. Its just people have commented how much weight I've lost. Whilst they've said I look good. I have noticed that along with the fat off my body, also the fat from my face has gone. With ageing and loss of collagen, I'm starting to look my age. But then its really not important when we consider the really important things. My husband says I still look fab, now I just need to convince myself. Also, health at the end of the day is the reason I workout. Also when watching ladies my age exercising, ie Cathe, Chris Freytag etc they all look as if there faces match their bodies lol ie fabulous.

I've really upped my exercise in that I am mostly doing yoga every day from udaya and yogaglo. I've got addicted to it. I really love the way it makes me feel physically and mentally. Also I do a Cathe or gymbox workout when I get up.

Oh well I'll just stick to loads of water and keep out the sun.

By the way Vee you are gorgeous yourself. But it probably helps that you live in a beautiful part of the world lol.

Laura
x

sunday · 09-19-14, 12:44 PM

I find that it is true that a large weight loss definitely affects the skin all over, including the face! With my loss of more than 80 pounds and at 49, I mostly have loose body skin. I think my facial skin is more just due to age, although most people guess my age as mid 30s. The most important things you can do are stay out of the sun and use a good sunblock! I also like to get regular facials but also do a weekly one myself.

Not sure if this will help, but I do love this product:

Aqua

It is a Japanese product that is a gel exfoliator unlike anything I've ever used. It's hard to explain, so I'd just say read some of the reviews. I use it daily.

glamgal · 09-19-14, 01:00 PM

Have you thought of supplementing with collagen and vitamin c? That's what I've been doing and it is helping.

PittyPat · 09-19-14, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glamgal

Have you thought of supplementing with collagen and vitamin c? That's what I've been doing and it is helping.

That. And maybe add some Biosil.

lorajc · 09-19-14, 06:25 PM

Don't forget about facial devices. I have the Microcurrent Machine by Serious

Skin Care......works the facial muscles contracting them like a workout for your face. More. Recently, I just bought a machine from RTruth I aging called the Ultra Renew Plus.....has the ability to do multi function on your face at once. It does Ultrasound for firming and lifting, has galvanic and ionic,as well as red, blue and green light therapy for aging, age spots and acne.

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09-19-14, 09:21 AM
Pippadog Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: UK	Age effects on facial muscles Hi I'm finding we are all aiming to be as healthy and as toned as we can be. I have recently done well with the weight loss and toning up. I'm really grateful for that. However, with the weight loss I have noticed how saggy and gaunt my face looks lol. I'm 46 and with the weight loss and ageing process the muscles in my face look very low and I could do with a daily workout on my face. I can't afford surgery although a facelift, botox and eye lift would probably do the job. Any suggestions for facial exercises? Do they work or is just surgery the option? Surely, all things being equal, muscles in the face can be worked on in the same way as the rest of the body. But it seems more and more the only alternative is surgery. Laura x

09-19-14, 09:47 AM
Vee Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Kuala Lumpur	Laura, If your photos on facebook are anything to go by, you are beautiful. I see no sagging or gauntness. You look ten years younger than your age. I think muscles are only a small part of facial aging. In youth, fat and collagen are evenly distributed in the face. With aging the padding of fat and collagen is lost patchily which means less support to the skin. That creates sagging. In addition if people gain fat as they age, it tends to settle in the lower part of the face, in the jowls and under the chin. That drags the face downward. The muscles in the face are small. The role they play is with repeated frowning and laughing, they drag the skin until it loses elasticity and ridges form. Then, sun and pollution can damage the skin. Skin also loses moisture with age and dry skin gets wrinkly faster. I don't know the answer to your question, but if my facts are right, I womder if exercise can help much. Can facial muscles be "toned up" enough to compensate for the loss of fat? I think skin looks younger when people get enough hydration, nutrition and sleep, avoid pollution and strong sun and make time to unwind/relax from stress.

09-19-14, 10:51 AM
PittyPat Join Date: Aug 2014	Well, I'm brand spankin' new here with no credibility, but I've had lots of experience with facial exercise. I agree with nearly everything Vee has said, except I know that facial exercise can make enough of a difference to matter. It can probably make a bigger difference the younger you are when you start. I started when I was 52 and I am quite happy with the improvements I've made to my face, jawline and neck. There are many programs out there, and I've used a lot of them. They range from face yoga to heavy-duty resistance training to easy-breezy and lots in between (Carol Maggio's Facercise is very popular, for example). I still use a couple of moves I learned from Flex Effect (the heavy duty option which served me well for a few years) and Carolyn's Facial Fitness, which gave my lower face a more feminine look than FE. Oh, and the forehead one from Tom's free Shape Your Face program makes a huge improvement to opening up my face. I was surprised and delighted to find, though, that my best and easiest to attain results came from a lesser-known program developed by a kinesiologist called Face Works. Even after years of facial exercise, this one really lifted my cheeks and filled in under my eyes where there is so much less fat than when I was younger. It has really improved my jawline, lifted my mouth corners and diminished the "mean" wrinkle between my eyebrows. I wish I'd found this one a lot sooner, as it pulled everything together. Do I look 40 again at 58? Nah. But I don't feel at all bad about my neck, jawline, or nasolabial area. I have a pleasant expression when my face is at rest with no jowling or sad look. It's kind of like Classical Stretch for the face and neck. It seems too easy to work as well as it does, but it does. I know you can do a lot with Botox and fillers, lasers, peels and microcurrent treatments at the day spa. I'm a stay-at-home-and-take-care-of-it-myself type, though, and I'm very happy with what I've achieved. What do you have to lose by trying a few free exercises you find on Youtube? Cathy

09-19-14, 11:45 AM
Vee Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Kuala Lumpur	Welcome to VF Cathy!

09-19-14, 12:21 PM
PittyPat Join Date: Aug 2014	Thanks, Vee. I had lots of questions regarding body exercise, but when I finally was approved to join the forum, the threads I wanted to post to sorta disappeared. Then this popped up and I couldn't resist adding my two cents. I love the energy of this board, along with the wide variety of people and their workout styles. It's inspiring to me.

09-19-14, 12:37 PM
Pippadog Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: UK	Hi all Thank you for your comments. Welcome Cathy. You certainly sound as if you have alot of knowledge about facial 'workouts' per se. Vee Thank you for your comments, you're so sweet. I certainly wouldn't consider myself a beauty lol. Far from it. Its just people have commented how much weight I've lost. Whilst they've said I look good. I have noticed that along with the fat off my body, also the fat from my face has gone. With ageing and loss of collagen, I'm starting to look my age. But then its really not important when we consider the really important things. My husband says I still look fab, now I just need to convince myself. Also, health at the end of the day is the reason I workout. Also when watching ladies my age exercising, ie Cathe, Chris Freytag etc they all look as if there faces match their bodies lol ie fabulous. I've really upped my exercise in that I am mostly doing yoga every day from udaya and yogaglo. I've got addicted to it. I really love the way it makes me feel physically and mentally. Also I do a Cathe or gymbox workout when I get up. Oh well I'll just stick to loads of water and keep out the sun. By the way Vee you are gorgeous yourself. But it probably helps that you live in a beautiful part of the world lol. Laura x

09-19-14, 12:44 PM
sunday Registered User Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: The Midwest's Best Kept Secret	I find that it is true that a large weight loss definitely affects the skin all over, including the face! With my loss of more than 80 pounds and at 49, I mostly have loose body skin. I think my facial skin is more just due to age, although most people guess my age as mid 30s. The most important things you can do are stay out of the sun and use a good sunblock! I also like to get regular facials but also do a weekly one myself. Not sure if this will help, but I do love this product: Aqua It is a Japanese product that is a gel exfoliator unlike anything I've ever used. It's hard to explain, so I'd just say read some of the reviews. I use it daily.

09-19-14, 01:00 PM
glamgal VF Supporter Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Dallas, TX	Have you thought of supplementing with collagen and vitamin c? That's what I've been doing and it is helping. __________________ JENNIFER

09-19-14, 06:25 PM
lorajc Join Date: Jul 2005	Don't forget about facial devices. I have the Microcurrent Machine by Serious Skin Care......works the facial muscles contracting them like a workout for your face. More. Recently, I just bought a machine from RTruth I aging called the Ultra Renew Plus.....has the ability to do multi function on your face at once. It does Ultrasound for firming and lifting, has galvanic and ionic,as well as red, blue and green light therapy for aging, age spots and acne.