The Science Of Facial Massage

Having just submitted a scientific review to the International Journal of Cosmetic Science, I would like to highlight the benefits of facial massage to broader audience.

The Science Of Facial Massage – Benefits Beyond Beauty

It might be a cliche that facial massage leads to relaxation. But how does it work? I have looked into all that is known about the physical and psychological benefits brought about by a structured, deep and long facial massage.

We are getting older and feel the need to stay looking young with the best anti-ageing skincare products and therapies. Touch, as a human need, is vital for our emotional and physical health and the face is the most accessible part of the human body. Regular facial massage is a health affirming, anti-ageing therapy with significant benefits for both skin and our psyche. It is an alternative to Botox, which has been shown to impact negatively on our social communication by changing our emotional experience. By evoking in-the-moment positive emotions, facial massage contributes to our well-being and it is its psychological effect which provides the rationale for the physiological basis underlying mechanical stimulation.

In order to be effective, clinically proven anti-ageing treatments have to stimulate the production of new, non-fragmented and well-organised collagen and/or papillary reconstruction in order to improve the appearance of aged skin. It is well-known that body massage impacts on vital body signs by inducing a state of relaxation and has a positive effect on neurosis, stress, pain, anxiety and depression. Stress has been shown to play a role in the onset of skin ageing and deterioration by compromising the epidermal barrier function and impairing the inflammatory response.

Facial massage is a form of psychological intervention; a relaxation technique with music and focused attention to the massaged area of the face. Research confirms that stress management techniques lead to reduction of skin disease symptoms.

Having done massage treatments on a day-to-day basis, I am able to compare published research to my client’s experiences. For more information about my treatments, please go to www.faceworkshops.com

Facial Massage & Relaxation At Home

• It is a nice feeling to indulge in a relaxing afternoon with a scented candle or calming eye pads but making time for relaxation in our demanding day to day life is essential for our health. Goal setting and stressful, aggressive work environment changes our hormones (adrenaline, testosterone levels are higher) and this can have a negative impact on our skin. As 80 – 90 % of illnesses are stress related, relaxation should be an important part of our life.
• The main benefits of a facial massage are calming effect, increased blood and lymph flow, muscle relaxation and increase in endorphins that make us feel good.
• Start with massaging decollete, shoulders and neck with flat hands. Sweep upwards and outwards in a slow motion, use organic plant oil and remove it with a hot flannel. Invest time into massaging the areas prone to sagging (use your thumbs and index fingers) to increase blood flow and slow down the ageing process. 

Choose the Right Oil

• Use light oil with sensual, smooth feel (not a sticky base) and pleasant aroma that transports you to a far away place.
• Dim your lights, wrap in warm towels, light a scented candle – breathe deeply and listen to relaxing music.

 Inspired by Pure Beauty (October 2011).

 

FaceLift or 12 Years Of Anti-Ageing Facial Massage. Same Price.

In terms of facial ageing, prevention works always better than repair! A facelift in your 50′s and 60′s or 12 years of relaxing facial massage – the price is the same!

Dr Frances Prenna Jones, a London based dermatologist, states that a British woman starts to show signs of facial ageing at the age of 26. And it is not a coincidence that in continental Europe, the age of 27 is the point when women start investing into their preventative facials. In Britain this is not always the case – as with any preventative treatment, we might not see and therefore appreciate the long-term benefit. We are busy building our families and professional life, and give more attention to our bodies, yet not the face. The consequences of inadequate care come later, when we reach the menopause, for a British woman around the age of 51.

Reduced levels of estrogen lead to a sudden drop of hydration, increase in lines and wrinkles, loss of elasticity and sagging. The sun damage done in our teens and twenties comes to the forefront as an uneven pigmentation. We wake up wanting a radical, quick fix!

The costs of a face lift with a good surgeon goes to £7000 – £8000 in the UK. There is a risk associated with any surgical procedure that we might not be entirely satisfied with the final result, subject to our individual skin and bone structure, ability to heal and our psychological well-being. The same investment would get you more than 12 years of monthly facials – preventative and relaxing treatment that becomes a part of our lifestyle.

We pay great attention to our hair and have a hair appointment at least once a month. But our facial skin is a living organ, far more delicate and susceptible to damage that is difficult to repair than our hair that can always grow back.

Our facial skin requires regular attention and professional care, one-off pampering is not a solution. Contrary to common belief, it is not the skincare products – these work mainly on the skin surface – but the treatment of facial muscles that support the structure of our face, facial massage and facial yoga – that are the key in anti-ageing!

Facials With A Difference

What are your expectations of a facial? Is it that ”the glow” in your complexion will be short-lived as what you are really paying for is a quiescent body and mind? Are you reaching a point when – lovely and relaxing as a traditional facials are – you need to do more?

From a dermatology point of view, ageing should be considered in three dimensions: 

• 1. the internal skin structure,
• 2. the surface of your complexion and
• 3. the underlying muscles.

There is no quick fix that can stop ageing but a careful and diligent routine can help you look younger and slow down the rate of ageing. Go for facials with elements that were once mutually exclusive – pampering and lasting results.

What To Do: For brighter complexion

In autumn, repair of  an ageing complexion means having a seasonal facial peel. The benefits include

• brighter and even skin – and as we know pigmentation is ageing
• enhanced skincare penetration and improved performance
• fading of fine lines and acne scars.

Use products with a mix of acids (combination suitable for your skin type, not aggressive and irritating) that will make you mildly red afterwards but induce no flaking when removing the dull surface skin.

What to do: For internal skin structure (collagen production and alignment) and soft, supple muscles

Anti-ageing facial exercise. Reclaim your jawline without surgery! with facial yoga.  Anti-ageing facial massage. Just as you layer your skincare, layer up your treatments to ensure you are ageing as slowly as you can. Long and relaxing European massage that nurtures your inner wellbeing as well as lifts the jawline? A radical Chinese face-lift massage that works on relaxing or stimulating specific facial muscles and leads to a sunny, energetic and lifted face?

“With so many shades of grey between the facial and the scalpel, to age gracefully is not to do nothing but to look like youve done nothing.” Kelly Gilbert,  Beyond facials. Vogue 2010

Anger, Botox and Smile…

“Bad Botox made Sally’s eyebrows pushed so far down that she looked constantly angry. She felt it, too. She felt angry all the time and was reminded by a therapist that if we want to lift our spirits, one of the ways we can do that is to smile. The opposite is also true.“

Research shows that controlling our facial expression controls our mood.  A smile can help to defuse a potential toxic reaction but Botox might paralyse you outwardly and inwardly into hostility.

It is meditation and yoga that are helpful in combating our anger and the natural methods of facial yoga and reflexology that achieve radiant skin, reduce wrinkles and improve definition.

Source: Sally Brampton, Seeing Red: How to handle your anger. Sunday Times

London ‘Power Facials’ in Yorkshire

As the article written in The Sunday Times Style magazine last Sunday confirms, the facial is making a comeback, in particular the “power facial” touted as an alternative to Botox.

All of the most sought-after London facialists are offering facial massage-based treatments:

• Nicola Joss is renowned for incorporating internal mouth work into her facial massage to reduce tension and loosen the jaw (£200, 90 minutes).
• Deborah Mitchell treats Botox-free celebrities with LIA therapy technique, a nonsurgical healing facelift, to tighten the skin and clear sinuses (£165, 60 minutes).
• Amanda Lacey promotes facial manipulation to redefine, soften and relax the face, so it looks natural (£130, 60 minutes).

There is no need to travel to London to appreciate a “facial with a difference”

FaceWorkshops Anti-Ageing Facial Massage is on a par with the London offerings for a fraction of the price. An advanced massage sequence of ten complementary steps – backed up with science – brings your face back to life. It makes you instantly feel and look good and if done regularly, it will stimulate and tone your facial muscles and lift and contour the face, giving it a better definition.

A special booster treatment “Facial Revitalisation” based on the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine will be on offer from September 2010. If you have already experienced facial massage, book your complimentary place at the Facial Revitalisation Taster Day: Sunday 5th September by emailing info@faceworkshops.com.
 

All facials need commitment

All facials need commitment – they are no one-hit wonder. If you come once, it will give you a glow. Ideally, you would have a course of treatments close together and come back regularly for top-ups. As Nicola Joss, London facialist, says; “If you want a toned, defined body, you work out; the same goes for the face.”

A recent FaceWorkshops client says:

“I’m now a convert to facial massage, on a regular basis though it’s much more than just a massage, the feeling of been nurtured and cared for is wonderful. We only have one face, so don’t we owe it to ourselfs to take care of it, if you are still sceptical, do as I did, have one session, see the difference, and see a whole new you in the bathroom mirror.” ND, June 22, 2010

Sunday Times article by Edwina Ings-Chambers, The Power Facial. Style, 25 July 2010. 
 

 

Facial Massage Counteracts Negative Effects of Botox

Devotees of Botox and other forms of comsetic surgery are turning to “power massages” to bring their frozen faces back to life. Muscles paralyzed by Botox are repeatedly massaged to make up for the exercises they lack and to restore blood circulation. The benefits of facial massage have been well-known for some time now – including the short-term increase of blood flow improving skin tone and colour as well as the long-term stimulation of fibroblasts (the collagen-producing cells).

Nicola Joss, a celebrity facialist from London, confirms; “If you want a toned, defined body, you work out; the same goes for the face”. Nicola’s power massage treatment involves a massage of cheeks from the inside the mouth (90 minutes, £200).

Botox users don’t get the facial muscles to contract, limiting blood flow into the area. The skin is starved of oxygen and - with a change in immune response, it becomes stiff and dry.  However, primarily Botox users with cigarette-thin skin (caused by using too much Botox) will see true benefits of this therapy. For others, facial massage encourages facial muscles to eliminate Botox more quickly.

Source: Kevin Dowling: Pummelling unlocks faces frozen by Botox, Sunday Times, 17 July 2010

Replacing Botox with the natural technique of facial massage in the first place is beneficial for both our facial skin, muscle tension and definition. FaceWorkshops offer anti-ageing facial massage (60 minutes, £50).

Mavis’s Mother’s Day Makeover Win

A Pocklington grandmother who won a Mother’s Day competition has a new look and a portfolio of photographs.

Mavis Goodwin, 58, was nominated for the competition to reward a deserving Mum with a series of relaxing and anti-ageing facial massages by her daughter, Jayne Bell, who wanted to give her mum some valuable ‘me time’ from her role as a full time carer to Jayne’s father.

Organised by FaceWorkshops in conjunction with Mark Kensett photography, the competition attracted many deserving entries but we were so moved by Jayne’s nomination that we awarded the £600 prize of a three month course of anti-ageing facial massages plus a photo shoot package to Mavis without hesitation. As Mavis reached the end of the course of  facial massages that have helped to energise and tone her skin; she said; “Not only is my skin glowing, but I have benefited in other ways, too.  It has helped to take away stress, and forced me to make time for me and to relax.  It’s been lovely and Mark’s photos are a great reminder of my experience.”

Mavis’s daughter Jayne accompanied her mum to some of the treatments. “My dad had an accident three years ago that left him brain damaged, unable to speak and totally reliant on Mum, so the last three years have been a real drain on her both emotionally and physically.  After each treatment, it was as if a weight had been lifted from mum’s shoulders and a light was shining within her. I said in my nomination that if I could I would give her the world.  I am very proud of her and the way she has looked after my Dad relentlessly and with such patience.  Although winning the competition was not quite ‘the world’, the way that Katerina and Mark made us both feel special is something that we will never forget.  Thank you for making a difference to both of us.”

As I diagnosed and treated Mavis’s face, it became apparent that she is a very strong person with great coping abilities. I have encouraged her to take time to relax, meditate and pamper herself, whenever she can.

The Face & Mind Connection

The appearance of our face is directly related to the way we feel. Our face captures and stores daily fatigue, upset and emotions that we project outwardly in the way that we look.  Research shows that frowning can make us unhappier and treatments that prevent frowning correlate with reduced negative mood.

Although Botox – currently a suggested treatment for depression - paralyses the frown muscles and limits facial expression of negative emotions that may consequently introduce a more positive mood, this action may not be always desirable in a social contact. Our emotions are controlled by our facial expressions: recent imaging studies have shown that imitation of facial expressions is associated with brain activity. Botox of frown muscles limits angry facial expressions and thus enables us to give a false signal. Given that people tend to mimic the emotional expressions of others, this may impact on the trust in the relationship.

Facial massage is a great alternative to Botox. It increases circulation and lymphatic drainage; it also impacts on skin turnover and collagen production by fibroblasts. It is an essential therapy not only for the face but also for our wellbeing. Relaxation, a learned response, in a healing and meditative atmosphere during the treatment, significantly enhances both the immediate and visible benefit of facial massage that entails reduced appearance of lines, wrinkles and sagging due to lifting, plumping up and smoothing effects.

“In our slightly touch-deprived society, any form of massage is very beneficial. Within massage, it is important to relax the mind, to switch off the intellect and focus on the pure sensation of touch.”

Source:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18562330

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19250162