Is Face Yoga The Natural Alternative To Botox?

Botox, a neurotoxin that paralyzes your muscles, has become all the rage with women as young as 18 opting for "preventative" anti-aging sessions several times a year. 

But with the rise of interest in this procedure, there has also been a rise in injectors who don't do their due diligence of informing clients of the potential risks. Let's not even mention the rise of barely-qualified professionals who are now offering Botox treatments at low prices and whose primary demographic is young, impressionable women who, more often than not, can't afford to spend their money on something that could potentially harm them or at the bare minimum leave them with unsatisfactory results.

Fortunately, there is an alternative to Botox: face yoga. And the best part about it? You can do it safely and free of charge and pain in the comfort of your home. Here, we'll talk about how face yoga can help strengthen and tone the muscles in your face, as well as reduce signs of aging and offer some extra benefits for your general well-being.

But first, let's go over the alternative, which involves sticking a needle in your muscular junction, and how it can potentially damage your face.

The Skinny on Botox

Botox is a brand name for an injectable neurotoxin called botulinum toxin type A that works by blocking signals from the nerves to the muscles. It’s directly injected into the muscle and stops it from contracting, which, in turn, makes deep wrinkles, as well as dynamic lines that occur due to facial expressions, soften and become unnoticeable.

The effects of Botox are almost instant, but it takes around a week to see the full results. Results can last up to four months, depending on your metabolism and lifestyle.

Botox is used widely for cosmetic improvement but also has medical uses, such as relieving the symptoms of conditions like chronic migraines, excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis), eye muscle spasms, and even bladder control problems.

While Botox is generally considered safe and cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration for both cosmetic and medical use, it's always important to know what you're putting in your body and the potential side effects that could arise. There are quite a few potential side effects associated with Botox, including pain, swelling, redness, bruising, and drooping eyelids, which are just a few of the less severe side effects. 

In some cases, more serious complications, such as temporary facial paralysis, nerve injury, and respiratory illness, can occur. This can result from either an injection incorrectly administered, an excessive amount of Botox used, or the person receiving the injection experiencing an allergic reaction to the compound.

Is Face Yoga the Natural Alternative to Botox?

Face yoga is a series of exercises and stretches for the facial muscles. Practiced to improve the skin's health and appearance, achieve a glowing complexion, and combat signs of aging, these anti-aging methods are becoming increasingly popular due to the general concerns over the safety of Botox and other pricey cosmetic treatments, such as micro-needling, chemical peels, and CO2 lasers, that usually come with downtime and a miserable healing period.

And, even though face yoga cannot eliminate wrinkles the way Botox does, some research suggests that it may improve tone and elasticity in the face, thus reducing the appearance of wrinkles rather than completely erasing them. In a small 2018 study, 16 healthy participants aged 40 to 65 were given formal instructions on performing 32 facial exercises for 30 minutes a day for eight weeks to fade photodamage, mild to moderate facial atrophy, and wrinkles. At the end of the study, the regular exercises yielded significantly decreased wrinkles and increased skin elasticity, with all participants reporting highly positive results.

When you think about it, why wouldn't you be able to tone the muscles in your face? We do it for our bodies all the time, and if done correctly and consistently, results can be seen after as little as several weeks. In fact, a few researchers from Northwestern Medicine in Chicago have found that regular facial exercises may strengthen the muscles just below the skin, which can result in fuller upper and lower cheeks. This can lead to a more youthful complexion, and, of course, the bonus here is that face yoga comes with no side effects or risks.

The Benefits of Face Yoga

Aside from toning and strengthening your facial muscles, face yoga also improves circulation in the face and neck. Plus, it aids lymphatic drainage, which helps reduce puffiness and evens out your skin tone, giving you a beautiful glow in addition to eliminating excess fluid and helping with the prevention of acne.

As an added bonus, practicing face yoga also has a calming effect both mentally and physically, allowing you to relax, de-stress, and enjoy the time spent taking care of your skin.

Furthermore, much like Botox, face yoga can help relax the muscles, thus relieving headaches and migraines, and, of course, like any other exercise, reducing tension in the jawline and forehead. It also increases your facial range of motion, reduces puffiness and the appearance of undereye bags, and helps you look like you've had a good night's sleep.

Finally, some research suggests that facial yoga may help improve the appearance of thick scars, as stretching and massaging can loosen the built-up collagen around the scar, giving it a more even appearance.

Closing Thoughts

Considering Botox injections have potential side effects, opting for face yoga may be a better choice if you want to achieve more than just a decrease in your facial lines and wrinkles. With a few added benefits, including saving money and improving your general well-being, face yoga is undoubtedly worth a try!

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