Tuesday, May 9, 2006

Skincare Fact or Fiction: Firming Facial Skin Care Exercises

Skincare Fact or Fiction: Firming Facial Skin Care Exercises

Skincare-News. com finds out whether or not facial exercises can actually help firm and tone facial skin. Is this a new trend or an elaborate hoax? Experts find out.

Sacramento, CA (PRWEB) January 28, 2008

Stretch, flex, one, two and three. Hold it. Feel the burn. While these are words typically associated with a workout session at the gym, many women are now stretching and flexing their faces in hopes of firming and toning their skin. Skincare-News. com's latest article, "Firming Facial Exercises: Fact or Fiction?" examines first of all why the skin sags and loses firmness, and second, whether facial exercises can prevent this. http://www. skincare-news. com/articles. php? ArtID=496 (http://www. skincare-news. com/articles. php? ArtID=496)

Reasons for loss of firmness
Multiple factors contribute to our loss of firmness, including sun exposure, collagen loss and facial expressions.

First, sun exposure can cause damage because of harmful UVA and UVB rays. Sun damage causes skin to become thinner and drier, prompting a breakdown in structure and saggy skin.

Skin also loses firmness because of collagen loss. Collagen is key in keeping skin firm and taut. It affects skin's overall feel and texture. With age, however, collagen production slows down -- and so the skin starts to lose its firm and plump feel.

Third, facial expressions can lead to sagging skin, lines and wrinkles. All those years of smiling, frowning, glaring and squinting add up, taking a toll on your skin.

Debunking the claims of facial exercise
Can facial exercise actually help firm our skin? No, say dermatologists. Regardless of how many squints, squeezes or puckers people do, facial exercises won't counteract sagging skin. They can't undo sun damage. Also, unlike building muscle tone in other areas, collagen can't be created with exercise. Put quite simply, loss of collagen leads to loss of firmness, and because facial exercises won't produce more collagen, they won't work to firm the skin.

Even worse, facial exercises can actually do the opposite: As mentioned earlier, repeated facial expressions cause lines and wrinkles. So, the squinting and puckering movements involved in facial exercises will actually give unwanted lines and wrinkles.

Instead of trying to contort the face into twisted expressions, try to hold relaxed poses with the face at ease, eyes and mouth gently closed. These relaxed poses can help release facial tension, particularly along the jaw, which in turn, can keep skin firm and reduce lines and wrinkles.

Second, gentle massaging of the face using just the fingertips can have a beneficial firming effect. Estheticians, technicians and nurses frequently perform massages before a facial treatment or chemical procedure. It improves circulation and draws bacteria and toxins to your skin's surface for easier removal.

Skincare-News. com covers all skincare and beauty topics from head to toe. Check out these latest articles:

White Out-Get Your Teeth Their Whitest
Http://www. skincare-news. com/articles. php? ArtID=491 (http://www. skincare-news. com/articles. php? ArtID=491)
Enamel, the hard outer-coating on each tooth, is the strongest substance in the body and helps the teeth withstand the constant pressure and abuse put on them daily through chewing and talking. Coffee, tea, red wine and tobacco are possibly the most well known stain culprits, however many other common substances can cause discoloration. But why does enamel stain and what can be done about it?

Think Before You Buy, Part I: Natural and Organic Skin Care
Http://www. skincare-news. com/articles. php? ArtID=482 (http://www. skincare-news. com/articles. php? ArtID=482)
Recently, studies have shown that companies are legally allowed to put things into their skincare products that would never be allowed in foods. This is where natural and organic skincare come in. Organic and natural products have been hailed as the solution to dangerous ingredients in beauty products. But what's the truth behind these harder to find and more expensive natural and organic products?

Growing Pains: Acne
Http://www. skincare-news. com/articles. php? ArtID=477 (http://www. skincare-news. com/articles. php? ArtID=477)
As magical as it may seem, growing up sometimes isn't all it's cracked up to be -- especially if growing up leaves the skin marked with acne and blemishes. Like everything else in adolescence, hormones may be blamed for a lot of these changes. And even though they may seem heart-wrenching or embarrassing, don't despair! It may not seem so, but clear skin can be achieved and maintained during adolescence.

Skin Therapy
Http://www. skincare-news. com/articles. php? ArtID=474 (http://www. skincare-news. com/articles. php? ArtID=474)
So much goes into the care and feeding of great skin, but in our haste to get the newest cream, or check out the latest wrinkle serum, we forget some of the whole-body skincare techniques we can call on to keep our skin clear, glowing and healthy. And while the health benefits of exercise is not new information, the beneficial impact exercise has on skin is a side-effect that often gets overlooked.

About SkinCare-News. com -- "Your Source for Intelligent Skin Care"
Skincare-News. com is the online source for consumers seeking intelligent beauty and skin care news, advice, tips and articles. Founded in 2005, SkinCare-News. com features articles, news items and frequently asked questions on skincare and beauty related issues. SkinCare-News. com is located in Sacramento, California, but receives visitors from all around the world. For more information, visit http://www. skincare-news. com (http://www. skincare-news. com).

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