Touch Instead of Botox? This Non-Invasive Wrinkle Treatment Is Breaking Records on TikTok

For years, yoga has accompanied those who want to take care of both the health of their body and peace of mind through physical activity. For some time now, the popularity of yoga as a "rejuvenation" tool has been growing visibly. I am talking about facial yoga. On Instagram or TikTok, you can find thousands of videos that encourage facial training - an alternative to invasive cosmetic procedures.

The need to stop the passage of time and the rush for a youthful appearance have caused many trends to emerge over the years, which are supposed to help us reduce the effects of aging. Some choose slightly more invasive methods, which give almost immediate results. Others prefer to rely on natural methods. Supplements, massages, proper care - this is a beauty investment in the future.

One of the visible trends is also facial yoga , which, as promised, allows not only to reduce visible wrinkles and restore skin radiance , but also to slightly improve facial contours. Are these promises exaggerated?

- Over time, muscles lose volume, so exercises that target the muscles of the face, just like those of the body, sculpt, firm and fill. An older person can still benefit from practicing yoga techniques that promote facial rejuvenation, and a younger person can develop habits that will last a lifetime and prevent the effects of aging, explains Annelise Hagen, author of The Yoga Face and a certified yoga instructor who has been practicing facial yoga for 20 years, in Vogue.

As dermatologist Dr. Amy B. Lewis explains in an interview with the magazine, the impact of yoga on the condition and appearance of our face can be analyzed from many different aspects.

Firstly, it is the engagement of muscles, which through appropriate exercises begin to tense up. Another aspect is identical to that which physical exercises provide our body with improved circulation and oxygenation. And here too, exercises of facial muscles bring visible effects in the form of improving skin tone , its firmness and general appearance. In addition, facial yoga helps to eliminate tensions that appear as a result of stress.

Back in 2018, dermatologist Murad Alam, a professor at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago, looked into the validity of these exercises. He conducted one of the few studies to assess the effectiveness of facial yoga. The research, although conducted on a small group of middle-aged women, can be considered promising. After 20 weeks of daily 30-minute exercises, a group of dermatologists observed improved facial firmness in participants who completed the program.

"Is it a replacement for cosmetic procedures? Not necessarily, because the degree of improvement was not as significant. But it is potentially useful for people who absolutely do not want any cosmetic procedures because they are concerned about safety, cost or inconvenience," Alam told CNN.

So facial yoga seems to be another element of daily care. Dr. Lewis suggests doing the exercises every day for 20 minutes. The first effects of the training should appear after about six weeks.