You’ve probably scrolled past videos of face yoga exercises on social media and wondered, “Does this stuff really do anything?” It sounds like a quirky trend, but a recent study gives us some solid answers. Published in the journal Medicina, this research took a close look at how an 8-week face yoga program affects the muscles in your face.
This post is not normally written rather it is based on a deep research done by various scientific studies including NIH(National institute of Health). I have summarized the findings and presenting you.
Scientific Research On Facial Yoga
First thing, The researchers wanted real data, not just opinions. They gathered 12 women around age 50 and used a fancy tool called the Myoton to measure things like muscle tone, stiffness, and elasticity. They checked six key facial muscles before and after the 8-week program. The women did face yoga twice a week in group sessions and practiced at home five days a week. You can read the complete paper here
The study showed that face yoga works differently depending on the type of muscle in your face.
Effect On Face After Face Yoga.
Some facial muscles, like the ones you use to smile or frown, got more relaxed after face yoga. This happened in:
- Forehead muscle (frontalis): Less tension and stiffness, which could mean fewer forehead wrinkles.
- Muscle between the eyebrows (corrugator supercilii): Also less tense, possibly smoothing out those “11” lines.
- Muscles around the eyes (orbicularis oculi) and mouth (orbicularis oris): These relaxed too, which might help soften crow’s feet and lip lines.
The idea is that face yoga helps release built-up tension in these muscles, which could make your skin look smoother and less wrinkled.
Findings
Other muscles, like the ones you use for chewing or talking, actually got stronger. This showed up in:
- Cheek muscle (buccinator): It got firmer, almost like it had a gym session.
- Muscle under the chin (digastric): This one had the biggest boost in tone and stiffness. Stronger muscles here could tighten the skin and give your jawline a sharper look over time.
A Big Win for Elasticity
Here’s the exciting part: all the muscles tested—forehead, between the brows, around the eyes, mouth, cheeks, and under the chin—became more elastic after the program. Why does this matter? As we age, our skin and tissues lose elasticity, which leads to sagging and wrinkles. The researchers think face yoga might help by encouraging the skin’s connective tissues to remodel and boosting activity in cells called fibroblasts, which keep your skin firm and bouncy.
What This Means for You
This study suggests face yoga isn’t just a passing fad—it can actually change how your facial muscles work. It relaxes the muscles that make expression lines while strengthening the ones that support your face’s structure. Plus, the boost in elasticity could help your skin stay firmer and more youthful.
The study isn’t perfect. It only included 12 women, which is a small group, and there wasn’t a control group to compare against. That means other factors, like diet or skincare, might have played a role. Still, it’s a great first step toward understanding face yoga’s benefits with real science.
Why Try Face Yoga?
Face yoga could be a fun, natural way to support your facial health without needles or creams. Whether you’re looking to smooth out wrinkles, define your jawline, or just feel good about your skin, this practice might be worth a try. Check out some beginner-friendly face yoga routines online, and maybe give it a go for a few weeks to see how your face feels!
For more tips on blending science and wellness, keep exploring scieneceandyoga.com
