Does face yoga really work? I Tried It For 30 Days
I must be honest: when I heard about face yoga, I was not sure. The concept of the ability to reverse fine lines and sinking skin because of silly faces in the mirror was too good to be true. Similar to most people, face yoga came to my notice with specific Instagram advertisements that advertise the possibility of a natural facelift without using a needle or surgery.
The post-and-pre pictures were effective, and the women in them had distinctly tighter jaw lines and fuller cheeks. But was this merely a social media buzz or could it be that exercising these muscles of our face would literally reverse the clock? I resolved to test face yoga, keeping it daily and doing some research on what science actually has to say about these trendy actions. What I found out shocked me–and could also alter your attitude to anti-aging exercises as well.
What Is Face Yoga Anyway?
And, before we get down to my experience, it is well to define just what we are discussing. Face yoga is not really yoga in its real form, since there are no downward dogs on your face. Rather it is a progression of consecutive stretches, stretches and poses that are specifically tailored to work on the fifty plus muscles of your face and neck. The common exercises are the “Duckface” (puckering lips), the Lion Breath (sticking out tongue and big eyes) and techniques that include pressing, pinching and stretching of the skin.
It is based on the principle which is quite straightforward: just as we train our muscles in our body in order to keep them fit, we should train muscles in our face to keep it strong and support structure. Advocates allege that these workouts have the ability to jumpstart blood flow, trigger collagen synthesis and tighten muscles on the face which could all help in making one look younger.
What the science tells us of Face Yoga.
At the time when I first embarked on my face yoga journey, I was convinced that I wanted to go beyond the Instagram testimonials and locate hard evidence. The scientific study is very limited and yet expanding and what is there gives one an interesting image.
The strongest evidence is a 2025 study that was published in Medicina that involved the implementation of a specialized technology that was able to measure changes in muscles of the face. Twelve middle-aged women were subjected to a program of face yoga by scholars who engaged them in an eight-week program in which they have sessions twice a week and are given a home program.
The measurements were taken by using MyotonPRO device that measured muscle tonus, stiffness, and elasticity. The result was impressive: considerable reduction in the tonus and stiffness of the muscles in the forehead and eyes area, and in cheek and jaw muscles tonus was raised. Most importantly, all the facial muscles measured had an increase in elasticity.
This corresponds to the previous studies done at Northwestern University, in which one of the first studies of face yoga was carried out by Dr. Murad Alam in 2018. The results of the 20 weeks of exercises that involved 30 minutes daily demonstrated that the participants had had an enhanced facial fullness especially on the cheek region. The area where we have observed the largest change, as Alam observed, was on the cheeks. It would be logical, since the cheek muscles are some of the biggest facial muscles, and thus, when they are exercised, the increase in them will be the most visible.
Nevertheless, even Alam himself admits that there were constraints, the study was limited in terms of sample size, and the improvements, though noticeable, were not as significant as the ones achieved by cosmetic procedures.
The way Face Yoga Can Possibly Be Effective.
In order to know how these exercises might potentially help our appearance we must learn what happens to our faces as we get older and Dr. Anetta Reszko, the dermatologist and clinical assistant professor at Weill Cornell Medical College explains that our faces are composed of layers of skin, fat as well as muscle that is over the skull. She says that it is the muscles that collaborate with the fat in order to provide the face with volume. However, as we grow older with age, or fail to exercise those muscles due to Botox, they may atrophy and become smaller” .
This atrophy leads to the fat pads above the muscles to fall down producing a hollow look or a shrunken look. Face yoga is based on the theory that you are working beneath that level, and you are developing the layer beneath the fat as explained by Dr. Murad Alam. That would give the face some chump to it as you build up the muscle” .
There are other advantages besides the potential muscle-building effects, according to dermatologists. Reszko suggests face yoga to augment flow of blood and lymphatic fluids, and this may decimate mornings puffiness, as it assists in depleting of stored fluid. This inflammatory glow of the heightened circulation may be the reason why certain practitioners claim that their complexion immediately gets better.
What the Experts Would Like You to know.
Nevertheless, despite the positive studies, analysts want to be cautious and reasonable. The beauty industry is full of hyperboles and face yoga is not an exemption.
The Potential Benefits
Mild anti-aging effects: The scientific data indicates that face yoga could possibly have slight effects on fullness and elasticity of the faces especially in the cheek region.
Less puffiness: The massaging and the mobility can stimulate the lymphatic circulation, which may possibly reduce edema and morning puffiness.
Releasing tension: It is an unconscious habit of many of us to leave our facial muscles under tension. According to the author of The Yoga Face, Annnelise Hagen, tension is a massive adversary of many people. Without any awareness we are continually making these faces on us.
The Limitations and Risks
It is not a replacement facelift: Dr. Alam stresses that facial exercises cannot be equated with cosmetic procedures and the degree of improvement is not as significant as it is in cosmetic procedures.
Wrinkles potential: Certain dermatologists caution that the wrinkles (such as crows feet and laugh lines) that people are eradicating actually may be generated by the repetitive movements on the face, which face yoga relies on to work (MacKelvry par. 15).
Potential skin inflammation: Esthetician Sofie Pavitt of New York warns that face yoga may aggravate some skin conditions. She says that when someone has cystic acne, hormonal outbursts, redness, rosacea or sensitivity, something such as face yoga can only worsen the skin conditions.
Skin stretching issues: According to Dr. Houtan Chobaki who is a facial plastic surgeon, excessive manipulations with the skin especially on the skin near the eyes may force the skin to stretch, especially the sensitive skin.
A 30-Day Facial Yoga Experiment Case Study.
With this scientific knowledge, I stepped out of my comfort zone and decided to go through my own experience with face yoga with the help of a popular app that cost me 19.99 each month. I decided to spend 10-15 minutes a day in the 30-day practice based on exercises that would address my particular interests: jawline selections and under-eye turgor.
My Methodology
I adhered to the daily workouts programmed by the app that consisted of such themes as Jowls Reducing Facial Workout, and Forehead Mobility Training. The activities were also as mild as a massage on the sides of my jawline, to the more dramatic ones such as pushing my neck back and forth or even sticking out my tongue. I kept a journal and took notes on a daily basis and photos weekly and in the same light conditions.
What I Learned
The first week was a farce: it seemed so self-conscious and I would exaggerate my faces on the mirror. The feeling of tugging and straining my skin was new and not as relaxing as I wanted, it was uncomfortable at times.
Regularity was not easy: Face yoga was a burden in comparison to full-body yoga, which makes me feel refreshed. I ended up missing days, and even doing it twice, just as the Guardian writer did who stated that he did not do 30 days of face yoga. I had intended to… However, I hate it” as I learned on day 1 of face yoga.
I began to see some very slight improvements: After three weeks, I saw a bit of definition in my jawline. My cheeks were harder to the touch, but there was slight change in appearance. I cannot say clearly that this was not as a result of normal variation or wishful thinking, but I could feel I was experiencing a greater muscle tone.
The glow was a fact: The short-run glory after every session was a temporary gain. The higher blood circulation certainly provided my skin with a healthy, flushed look, which lasted approximately one hour.
It increased awareness of facial expression: The unintended consequence was the increased awareness of my facial tension during the day. I realized that when I am stressed; I clench my jaw and now I make an effort to relax it.
My Verdict After 30 Days
Face yoga had small merits that could not pay off in my daily time usage. I will include some exercises here and there, especially I would include them during those times when I can see I have some puffiness in the morning but I am not going to develop a serious routine of exercising every day. The experience has also shown me that it is wiser to spend less time in doing experimental anti-aging measures, such as sunscreen, quality skin-care and healthy lifestyles.
Introduction to Face Yoga: Easy Workouts to Get Started.
In case you are interested in trying face yoga despite the mixed feedbacks, three beginner-friendly exercises that professionals state as relatively safe and potentially effective are listed below:
The Cheek Lifter: This exercise is aimed at the cheek muscles and involves creating an O shape with the mouth combined with having the upper lip over the teeth and smiling to lift the cheek muscles high. The exercise should be held in 20 seconds breathing deeply. This can assist in enhancing fullness of cheeks as time goes by.
The Brow Smoother: Both hands should be kept horizontally on your forehead and the fingers kept at a small distance. Sweep your fingers outward with a slight pressure and repeat it 10 times. This can assist in the release of tension in the frontalis muscle which we tend to tighten when we are stressed.
The Breath of the Lion: Breath deeply, then open your lips, make your tongue stick out, and your muscles, and breathe out strongly. This is prescribed by yoga teacher Annelise Hagen to relieve tension in the neck and jaw region.
Common Propositions about Face Yoga.
What happens to be the time to see the results of face yoga?
The majority of the researches and courses demonstrate tangible outcomes in 6-8 weeks of regular practice. The Northwestern study conducted in 2018 noted improvements in 2018 after 20 weeks indicating that patience and consistency are important.
Is face yoga a better alternative to Botox or fillers?
No, professionals reckon it is impossible to substitute cosmetic operations with face yoga in order to achieve serious rejuvenation. Dr. Alam explains that face yoga can help make improvements, but it was not as significant as the one that is possible through procedures. Consider it to be an adjunctive approach but not a substitute.
Are there any individuals who are not supposed to do face yoga?
Yes, those having some skin conditions need to be careful. Sofie Pavitt recommends that the sufferers of cystic acne, hormonal breakouts, redness, rosacea or sensitivity may find face yoga to be a worsening of these disorders. The stronger manipulation and contact of the face might cause irritation to a susceptible or swollen skin.
Is face yoga really the cause of wrinkles?
Potentially, yes. It has also been cautioned by some dermatologists that the habitual movements on the face, which form the basis of face yoga, may end up forming dynamic wrinkles as time goes by. Also, tugging and stretching the skin, especially the sensitive eye skin, may also have the potential of loosening skin when it is done excessively.