Face Pilates, the healthy alternative to anti-aging
Facial Pilates is an anti-aging exercise program which uses a series of exercises and techniques to target the muscles in your face to help revitalise and rejuvenate your skin. Facial Pilates is a natural therapy which is increasingly becoming the preferred approach for women and men who want to reverse the signs of aging such as wrinkles or sagging, without using cosmetic surgery or other medical intervention. We’ve looked at some of the more popular non-natural anti-aging methods in practice today.
The Face lift
The Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons, list face lifts as one of the most commonly performed cosmetic surgery procedures in Australia. A face lift is an elective surgical procedure which helps address wrinkles, loose and sagging skin, fat deposits and other signs of aging in the face.
A face lift can run into the thousands of dollars, requires incisions behind the ears and up into the hairline and the post-op recovery can be rigorous and extremely painful with reported side effects of bruising, swelling and feelings of tightness.
To inject or not to inject: Botox and Fillers
Botox and dermal fillers are injectables which have flooded the market as the non-surgical alternative in anti-aging cosmetic procedures.
Injectables are now a billion dollar industry in the UK, according to the Daily Mail, and show no signs of slowing down, already equalling breast enhancements in popularity.
The Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons list facial paralysis, stinging, redness, itchiness, pain, bleeding, bruising, allergic reactions, infection, lumps under the skin and skin discolouration around the injection sites as side effects which can be associated with injectables.
Cosmetic injectables are temporary, usually lasting around 8 months. Regular treatments are required to maintain appearances. Fillers can also speed up face sagging, as the additional weight under the skin pulls downwards on surrounding tissues, requiring more extensive filling to maintain a youthful appearance.
The debate around the safety of the drugs used in injectables is fierce. The chemical known as Botox, for example, has been described as “extremely poisonous” according to Dr. Daniel Drachman, a neurologist at The Johns Hopkins University.
Over the counter anti-aging creams, serums and magic formulas:
Anti-aging creams and lotions are a multi-billion dollar industry in Australia.
The claims that these creams fulfill the countless promises they make to reduce the signs of aging, are scientifically proven formulas are widely contested – on a scientific level. According to phys.org, “The creams do moisturize – even the cheapest ones will do that – and that does help make the skin appear more supple and healthy. As for the other claims, few studies have been published in medical journals to show the products work as advertised or are safe to use.”
Anti-aging creams can cost anywhere from $10 – $300. Studies have been done to show the correlation between the cost and effectiveness of anti-aging creams, “‘On average, the creams showed only slight wrinkle improvement at best.”
Facial Pilates
Facial rejuvenation, also commonly referred to as Facial Pilates is a series of exercises and techniques which are used to help reduce the by-products of aging such as wrinkles and sagging skin.
Facial rejuvenation is a growing industry as individuals increasingly seek natural therapy options which are free from potentially harmful side effects. Reducing the signs of aging and restoring the skin and facial muscles can have a tremendous impact on a person’s psychological and physical well being.
Facial Pilates is guided by a professional Orofacial Myologist, specialising in the muscles of the face,mouth head and neck. It is a form of facial rejuvenation which naturally works on the muscles of the face, neck and jaw to help reduce the signs of aging, creating younger and healthier looking skin.
Facial Pilates gives the face a “workout”, ustilises sets of exercises working on techniques such as breathing, correcting muscle function, stretching and strengthening muscles.
The face has little fat and the muscle groupings here are small. That makes it easy to target specific areas and see rapid results.
Individuals are recommended to attend a number of sessions so that they can learn how to use their facial muscles correctly. Once an individual understands this they are in a better position to understand, isolate and target specific facial muscles. Just like any exercise, the more you do, the better it becomes and the results will be noticeable within a few weeks. Generally, to create a long-term routine around the workout, exercises are recommended daily. For long term improvement, weekly maintenance is recommended.
So if you’re looking for a natural, pain-free, cost-effective, lifelong habit which will help tone your skin, reduce signs of aging and leave you looking and feeling great, schedule your next consultation today.