Although dermatologists do not value this method, a study conducted in accordance with this trend has yielded interesting results

One of the greatest desires of humanity regarding age is to want to look younger. As the years go by, health problems arise and wrinkles on our face and other places of the body begin to show. Currently there are many medical methods to reduce the deterioration of the skin and look physically well, looking younger. However, some dermatological treatments cost too much money, which is why a large part of the population does not have access to it. However, a study conducted by JAMA Dermatology, found that doing facial exercises frequently or facial yoga (as they popularly call it), help to rejuvenate the appearance of people.

According to the published study, these exercises allow to strengthen the facial muscles, thus preventing the skin from being consumed and in turn, reducing wrinkles considerably. Although in the scientific field is not proven that the treatment is effective, some people believe that through this method you can achieve a better look, because over the years the pads that are under the skin of our face become thin, which causes the dreaded wrinkles to appear.

Several television programs have explained how to perform these exercises, to such an extent that it managed to attract the attention of the specialists of the structure and function of the skin, who when surprised by this issue have questioned its validity. Therefore, with the collaboration of the Northwestern University they managed to get twenty-seven women between the ages of forty and sixty-five to test facial yoga.

Gary Sikorski is one of the most recognized coaches in facial exercise programs. Upon contacting him, the JAMA Dermatology and Northwestern University team proposed that he be responsible for the study to give a scientific demonstration in accordance with this treatment. The twenty-seven women recruited were exposed to ninety-minute personal sessions in which thirty-two exercises were taught. Before the process was initiated, they were photographed to analyze the final changes. The practice consisted of using the fingers to develop an active resistance while making different gestures in the muscles of the cheeks, forehead and neck, every day for a period of eight weeks. After that first stage, they were photographed again and it was suggested that they continue the practice every third day in a period of twelve weeks.

At twenty weeks only sixteen women were able to complete the training. Finally, when the photographs taken before and after were compared, the dermatologists analyzed the changes and found a significant improvement in the roundness of the cheeks, while in the neck and forehead the changes were not relevant. However, the facial yoga program appears to be quite heavy, which caused a third of the participants abandon it.

Latin American Post | Brandon Martínez

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