Massage has many benefits for your skin’s overall health and appearance*.
• Relaxes and helps tone facial muscles, reducing sagging
• Increases circulation for faster healing
• Aid lymphatic drainage and reduce puffiness
• Help clear sinuses*
• Smooths skin texture
• Reduces the pain, itchiness, and tenderness of scar tissue, and can help loosen and heal it
• Helps reduce temporomandibular joint (TMJ) conditions
Massage the over 40 muscles in your face using a face roller or just your fingers to achieve all these benefits. Try it for 8 weeks, and you should have noticeable results.
How To Do It
Begin by massaging your neck and head to jumpstart relaxation in your entire face. Start at the back of your head at the base, massaging in a circular motion using your fingertips. Gradually move to the sides, then the top of your head, doing whatever feels good.
During this entire process, pay special attention to any area that feels tender. Massage very gently using a light touch and slow motion at first, then gradually and gently press and hold these areas until the muscle releases. Don’t overdo it or you may irritate and tighten the muscle further.
When you’re ready to move to your face, wash your hands if you haven’t already, and apply a little serum, heavy moisturizer, or oil to your knuckles and fingertips. After you master the technique, you can lie down for an even more relaxing experience.
When massaging your face, it’s often best to use your knuckles, not your fingers. Repeat each stroke five times or focus on a specific area for 20 to 30 seconds, using gentle but firm pressure.
This diagram illustrates the movements you will perform in the steps below.
After massaging your head, washing, and applying your oil, you're ready to begin.
1. Massage the upper chest. Move up to the shoulders and around to your back, as far as you can reach.
2. Run the backs of your fingers from your chin up to the sides of your neck towards your ears.
3. Use the knuckles of your pointer and middle fingers to pinch the center of your chin. With one knuckle on your face and one knuckle under your chin, press gently and move up toward your ears. (see right image)
4. Place your knuckles just under your cheekbones, press and lift. Do this along your entire cheekbone. (see left image)
5. Without using your hands, move your jaw from side to side, then open wide and close your mouth. Do this several times.
6. Use your knuckles to gently massage your ears: the whole ear, then use two fingers to massage your lobes.
7. Use your palms and fingertips to massage the sides of your face, starting at your chin and moving up toward your forehead.
8. Use a circular motion to rub your knuckles into your temples.
9. Press and glide your knuckles into your brow bone above your eyes. Move from the inner to the outer corner. Do the same movement underneath your eyes along the top of the cheekbone.
10. Using your thumb and first finger, start at the inner corners of your eyebrows. Gently pinch your eyebrows as you move to the outer corner, lifting the fleshy part under your brows.
Then press your thumbs gently along the entire area under the brows, pressing from the center outwards, to move any extra fluid and puffiness out to the sides, where it will drain. This is a great technique that makes eyes look more open, and your lids less heavy.
11. Using your knuckle, press down firmly on the space between your eyebrows. Continue pressing as you make clockwise and counterclockwise circles.
12. Use your pointer finger knuckles to press under your cheekbones. Start at the center of your face and move toward your temples.
13. Move higher and use your knuckles to press into your face. Start at your nose and move across your cheeks to your ears. Spend extra time if you feel soreness in your sinuses – the upper cheek area next to your nose. If this area is painful, your sinuses could be infected, so it's best to leave this area alone and consult your doctor.
14. Use a circular motion to massage under your earlobes.
15. Use the outside of your pinky fingers to press into your neck. Start at the top and move downward. Use the tips of all fingers to massage outwards on your upper chest.
16. Use your fingertips to gently tap over all the areas of your face, especially on your forehead, under your nose, and on your chin.
Your face will feel like it’s just worked out: rejuvenated, maybe a tiny bit sore, and moist!
IMPORTANT FINAL STEP: Drink a full glass of pure water.
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* A 2017 study examined the effectiveness of facial massage. Participants used an anti-aging cream and facial massage for 8 weeks. The effects of the cream were enhanced when used with facial massage. Improvements were seen in wrinkles, skin sagging , and texture.
*Sinuses
As long as it’s not an infectious case or during an acute stage of sinusitis, you can use massage to relieve sinus pressure. Sinus massage may also help promote the drainage of mucus, alleviate headaches, and boost circulation.
Concerned about creating wrinkles and stretching skin?
Making sure you’re not overdoing it, and using moisturizer or oil will prevent stretching your skin. Rubbing won't cause permanent wrinkles , as people do not rub their face constantly in the same place and in the same direction, which would be necessary to cause wrinkles.
A study in 2018 showed the effectiveness of facial massage with a Pao device (face roller) in encouraging facial rejuvenation. The facial massage exercise device was shown to boost facial muscle thickness and cross-sectional area in women who used the device for 30 seconds, twice a day for 8 weeks.
For more techniques and helpful videos, see Youtube.com., especially Coveteur.
Thanks Coveteur, for the images!