Anti Wrinkle Exercises for Your Face

The ultimate dream for most of us is to age gracefully, naturally, thus avoiding the possibility of turning to Botox injections or aesthetic plastic surgery just to make us look young. Unfortunately, most of us will never achieve that dream, at least not without some type of help. One of the newest ideas out there now for keeping our skin looking vibrant, young, and beautiful is the concept of anti-wrinkle exercises. The question is, do they work, and if so, which ones can you start doing today?

The Bottom Line on Anti-Wrinkle Exercises

According to St. John Health, one of the largest medical facilities in Michigan, the idea that some anti-wrinkle exercises exist, which can tighten and tone facial muscles in order to prevent the development of wrinkles, is largely untrue. Unfortunately, there are a number of reasons why this is the case.

For one, most of our wrinkles are caused by sun damage, not by poor muscle tone. Some dermatologists now believe that almost three-fourths of all skin damage caused by the sun is caused prior to the time we turn 18. Another cause of wrinkles is repeated facial gestures and movements, according to St. John Health. WebMD.com and the American Academy of Dermatology both recommend sleeping on your back so you don’t run the risk of sleep lines that can occur and won’t vanish when you wake up in the morning.

St. John Health further explains that most of our facial muscles are used so frequently in our day to day activities that further exercise won’t do anything to tone them any more.

Other Anti-Wrinkle Advice

If anti-wrinkle exercises won’t do anything, the question becomes, what will work for wrinkle reduction? St. John Health suggests doing full-body exercises. These exercises will help improve blood and oxygen flow throughout the body, which will keep facial skin looking younger and healthier.

Even more important to preventing wrinkles is to understand the serious risks associated with sun damage. According to the British Association of Dermatologists, more than 50 percent of people living in England think a tan is attractive, and about the same number of people have been using tanning beds since their mid-teens to early 20s. Learning how to appropriately apply sunscreen and changing our perception of tanning as a symbol of beauty is important if we want real anti-wrinkle assistance.

You may also be tempted to use various anti-wrinkle products on your skin. Cosmeceuticals are examples of some of these products that are becoming popular. They contain ingredients such as retinal, hydroxy acid and copper peptides. These ingredients, when present in large enough concentrations, can change overall skin quality, according to the Mayo Clinic. They may be able to reduce the risk of further sun damaged skin consequences, but they are no substitute for taking sun damage precautions.

Finally, WebMD.com offers other anti-wrinkle recommendations, including not smoking and using moisturizers on your skin. Eating more soy, using topical vitamin C on your skin, and eating more fish can all help impact the overall appearance of your skin.