Face yoga, the practice of performing specific exercises targeting facial muscles to improve tone and reduce signs of aging, has been practiced in various cultural traditions for decades while remaining at the margins of mainstream dermatology. A 2018 study from Northwestern University has given the practice its most credible scientific support to date.
What the Northwestern Study Found
The study involved 27 women aged 40 to 65 who practiced face yoga exercises for 30 minutes daily for eight weeks, then every other day for the following twelve weeks. Dermatologists who assessed the participants before and after using a validated facial aging scale found statistically significant improvements in upper and lower cheek fullness. Participants' estimated age by the dermatologists decreased by approximately three years on average.
The proposed mechanism is simple: the facial muscles, like other muscles, respond to resistance training by growing slightly in mass. Because the face's skin is attached directly to underlying muscles, increased muscle volume translates to a lifting effect without any alteration to the skin itself.
The Effective Exercises
The exercises with the most supporting evidence target the cheek muscles, the area where age-related volume loss is most visible. The cheek lifter, which involves opening the mouth wide, folding the upper lip over the teeth, and smiling with the cheek muscles while holding the fingers lightly on the cheeks for resistance, targets the zygomaticus major. Consistent practice of four to five exercises daily, maintained over several months, produces the cumulative effects seen in the Northwestern study.
