Aging and gravity can wreak havoc on your skin and cause your facial features to pull downward. Exercises, however, may halt the hand of time and pull of gravity, especially when it comes to your sagging neck and jowls. Follow a regular routine of targeted facial exercises to help shorten muscles and give your face a more youthful appearance.
The Yawn
Beauty expert M.J. Saffon taught his facial exercises to the likes of Rita Hayworth and the Duchess of Windsor. In the book "The 15-Minute-a-Day Natural Face Lift," Saffon suggests the yawn exercise to help eliminate wrinkles, tighten flabby neck skin, reduce sagging jowls as well as erase drooping around the nose and mouth areas.
Open your mouth wide as if you are yawning. Slowly close your mouth to a count of 20. Do not allow your upper and lower teeth to connect; instead, focus on maintaining tension in your cheeks and neck. Perform three repetitions.
Cow Face
The cow face exercise helps to create definition in a sagging jawline. Not only does the exercise reduce sagging in the neck and jowls, but it also stimulates blood circulation for a rosy glow. Marie-Veronique Nadeau, author of "The Yoga Facelift," teaches this beneficial facial exercise in her workshops.
Let your jaw go slack and limp so that your mouth slightly opens. Protrude your jaw and position your lower front teeth over your upper front teeth. Raise your right arm, rotate your head to the left and look up at the ceiling. Hold for five seconds, then relax your jaw. Keeping your right arm raised, protrude and raise your jaw again. Hold the position for 10 seconds. Perform the exercise three times, lower your arms and repeat the movements with your left arm.
Baby Bird
Annelise Hagen, New York City-based yoga instructor and author of "The Yoga Face," recommends the baby bird yoga exercise to help reduce sagging jowls. Tilt back your head and look up at the ceiling. Press the tip of your tongue to the roof of your mouth, then swallow while tilting your head to the left. Finally, tilt your head to the right and swallow. Repeat four times. Hagen also suggests head and neck rolls to relieve pinched expression lines and to tone the neck, throat and chin areas.
Chewing
Chewing fatty foods may contribute to a double chin, but chewing sugarless gum may actually help tone and firm sagging jowls and loose neck skin. Move your jaw up and down in a circular motion. Chew for about 30 seconds, rest and begin again. Perform the exercise a minimum of three times per week for slow but noticeable improvement.
References
- "The 15-Minute-A-Day Natural Face Lift"; M.J. Saffon; 1981
- "The Yoga Facelift"; Marie-Veronique Nadeau; 2007
- "The Yoga Face"; Annelise Hagen; 2007
- "Time": Skip the Botox. Try Facial Yoga; Kate Stinchfield; Nov. 13, 2007
- Facial Exercises for Jowls: Hide Jowls -- 5 Tips to Tone Up Your Neck and Chin
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