The search for facial rejuvenation methods that are non-surgical in nature has been ongoing for centuries. While Botox, injectable fillers and light and laser therapies do offer some profound improvement in treating the effects of facial aging, these treatments lie within the medical community. But outside of traditional medicine are a variety of non-medical approaches to facial rejuvenation such as acupuncture, yoga and exercises.
While the initial reaction of a plastic surgeon to these non-medical therapies for improving or preventing facial aging is understandably great doubt and skepticism, other practitioners may have quite a different perspective. Book, videos and websites exist that espouse and teach (sell) these methods and there is apparently a willing audience that enbraces them. Books espousing the benefits of facial exercise have been around for over 75 years. But how effective are they really? Do they really offer any facial benefit?
In the January 2014 issue of the Aesthetic Surgery Journal, a published article appeared entitled ‘The Effectiveness of Facial Exercises for Facial Rejuvenation. A Systematic Review’. In this paper the authors reviewed the evidence of facial exercises in facial rejuvenation based on an online literature search of various medical directories. Based on nine (9) studies identified, positive outcomes were reported in all of them. However, all were single case reports or small patients series that did not use any established scientific testing methods such as control groups or a randomization process. Improvements reported were only subjective without a blinding to their assessment.
Whether any form of facial exercise has any rejuvenative effect remains unproven. This does not mean that they may not have some positive effect, but anectodal reports and subjective assessments do not serve as adequate medical proof. Ultimately better clinical trials that are properly structured need to be done to prove that they are more than just hype and hope.
Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana