AhhOhhEee / Facercise / Face yoga / Face gym

Just as physical exercise helps in keeping the body firm and toned, Exercising the face is just as important too. Sparing 15 – 20 minutes everyday for these facial exercises will protect the facial muscles from slacking. These exercises not only tighten and tone the facial muscles, but they also smoothen the lines, reduce puffiness and prevent sagging. Performing these exercises will also relax and calm you down.

A facial exercise program is scientifically based on anatomy and physiology. The face has more than 10 bones and 12 prominent muscles, with numerous branches of nerves, arteries, and veins. Lines, wrinkles, folds and bags are not really wrinkles and lines they are the supportive facial muscles going soft.

Here are some facial exercises to achieve the ageless face with a non-invasive method to maintain a youthful look. Facial exercises don’t take much of your time, these exercises are simple and easy to perform and it can be done anywhere, even while you are caught up in traffic jams .The best way is to include these facial muscle in strengthening exercises at the end of your daily exercise regimen.

Some do’s and don’ts

• Use the pads of your fingers, not the tips to avoid scratching the skin.
• Take care not stretch or pull at your skin while exercising as they can lead to wrinkling.
• Avoid face exercises if you have acne, eczema, sunburn or any other inflammation.
• It is advisable to do these exercises every day until you get used to them, then you can cut to thrice a week.

To Firm up the front of the neck

• In seated position tilt your head back, press your tongue into the roof of your mouth to tighten up all the muscles at the front of your neck. Count to 10, release tongue and bring your chin down toward your neck, you will feel tightness under the chin and in the front of the neck. Repeat 10 times.
• Lift your chin and place both your hands at the top of your throat. Now lift your jaw without flinging your head back. Push your jaw forward to feel the stretch swallow in this position to see how tight the neck muscles are. Repeat 10 times.

Exercises for the Forehead

• Sit in upright position and bring down your eyebrows and wrinkle your nose 10 times. Repeat this 5 more times.
• Lie flat on the bed and stare right up at the ceiling. While staring lift your eyebrows and repeat this exercise for about 10 times.

  Exercises for the Cheek

  • Close your lips in a relaxed manner and move them into a pout. Repeat ten times.
  • Smile and when doing so count to about 5 and then relax.

Exercise for Spare chin

• As it is mostly the excess fat stored there, its good to include a 40 minute cardio workout everyday.
• Sitting upright, tilt your head back to stare at the ceiling and bring your lower lip up over your upper lip as far as possible count to five and let your head come back to its normal position. Repeat 10 times.

Exercise for excess Baggage under the eyes

• Using your fingertips under your eyebrows and gently lift your eyelids and holding this way press your upper lids down and count to five and relax. Repeat 5 times.
• Using your fingertips to the outer corners of your eyes, move your fingers upwards as you move your eyelids down count to 5 and relax .Repeat 5 times.

Exercise to ease lines around the mouth

• Draw air into your mouth; keep it there counting to ten, then release suddenly.
• Move your tongue in circles around the inside of your mouth.

These facial exercises strengthen and tone the muscles and also the skin is revitalised. The well developed muscle increases nutrient-rich oxygenated blood into the skin which covers these muscles and speeds up lymphatic drainage. And remember, exercise is a cheap anti ageing solution for your body and your skin so go for it!

Note: Images are for dramatisation purpose only. It does not intend to show any exercise or any guidance as per the write up.