Time and gravity often lead to droopy eyelids, elongated ears, twin chins, thin skin and saggy jowls. These issues can add years to your appearance. As with all of your body's muscles, facial muscles need strengthening and toning exercises to keep them from becoming weak and flabby. A regular routine of targeted exercises may aid in shortening facial muscles, helping to restore a chiseled jawline --- one with firmer, tighter jowls.
Jowls
Saggy jowls commonly appear as one of the first signs of facial aging. The straight chiseled jawline of youth is replaced with loose, flaccid skin and fat that overhangs the jaw. Caused by a loss of skin elasticity and a weakening of the underlying muscles, saggy jowls can occur on the neck, chin and cheeks.
Treatment Options
A variety of options are available to treat saggy jowls. Surgical procedures include facial liposuction and a jowl-neck lift, a method that eliminates jowls by pulling and repositioning loose tissue above the jawline. For minor jowls, threadlift and featherlift sutures tie the loose tissue to a higher position. Minimally invasive external heat treatments can shrink saggy jowl tissue. Additionally, Marie-Veronique Nadeau, chemist, licensed aesthetician and author of "The Yoga Facelift," recommends a regular routine of effective facial exercises.
Benefits of Facial Exercise
Proponents of facial exercises to treat saggy jowls, such as Annelise Hagen, New York City-based yoga instructor and author of "The Yoga Face," claim that exercise counters the effects of aging. It accomplishes this effect by shortening the underlying facial muscles and strengthening the attachments of the skin to those muscles. Exercise tightens flabby skin in the cheeks and chin, restores elasticity, prevents wrinkles and reduces sagging around your nose, mouth and chin areas.
Exercises
Simple exercises performed on a daily basis should yield significant results in three months, according to M.J. Saffon, beauty expert and author of "The 15-Minute-a-Day Natural Face Lift." Saffon suggests opening and closing your mouth in a yawning motion. Scrunching up your face while sticking out your tongue may also help prevent the formation of saggy jowls, as well as reduce existing jowls. Lastly, try the baby bird exercise. Tilt your head up to the ceiling, press your tongue to the roof of your mouth and swallow.
Considerations
M.J. Saffon recommends applying lotion to your hands and face before working on your jowls. Because facial skin becomes thinner and more delicate as you age, do not vigorously pull or rub it as you exercise. Your goal is to firm and strengthen, not damage any tissue. Use slow, controlled movements, preferably in front of a mirror until you have memorized the exercises.
References
- "The Yoga Face: Eliminate Wrinkles with the Ultimate Natural Facelift"; Annelise Hagen; 2007
- "The Yoga Facelift"; Marie-Veronique Nadeau; 2007
- "The 15-Minute-a-Day Natural Face Lift"; M. J. Saffon; 1981
- Explore Plastic Surgery: Jowl Correction in Facelift Surgery
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