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To his toolbox
of Botox, fillers and plastic surgery, cosmetic dermatologist Dr. Murad Alam
has added a new, low-cost, noninvasive anti-aging treatment: facial yoga. Dermatologists
measured improvements in the appearance of the faces of a small group of
middle-age women after they did half an hour of daily face-toning exercises for
eight weeks, followed by alternate-day exercises for another 12 weeks.
The results
surprised lead author Alam, vice chair and professor of dermatology at Northwestern
Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. "In fact, the results were
stronger than I expected," he said in a phone interview. "It's really
a win-win for patients."
Participants
included 27 women between 40 and 65, though only 16 completed the full course.
It began with two 90-minute muscle-resistant facial exercise-training sessions
led by co-author Gary Sikorski of Happy Face Yoga in Providence, Rhode Island. Participants
learned to perform cheek pushups and eye-bag removers, among other exercises. Then
they practiced at home.
Improvements
noted
Dermatologists
looking at unmarked before-and-after photos saw improvements in upper cheek and
lower cheek fullness, and they estimated the average age of women who stuck
with the program as significantly younger at the end than at the start.
The average
estimated age dropped almost three years, from nearly 51 years to 48 years. Participants
also rated themselves as more satisfied with the appearance of their faces at
the study's end, Alam and colleagues reported in JAMA Dermatology.
"Now there
is some evidence that facial exercises may improve facial appearance and reduce
some visible signs of aging," Alam said. "Assuming the findings are
confirmed in a larger study, individuals now have a low-cost, non-toxic way of
looking younger or augmenting other cosmetic or anti-aging treatments they may
be seeking."
The exercises
enlarge and strengthen facial muscles to firm and tone the face, giving it a
younger appearance, he said. Happy Face sells instructional worksheets —
promising smoother skin, firmed cheeks and raised eyelids — for $19.95. DVDs
cost $24.95.
Some skepticism
But not all
dermatologists are rushing to promote the videos or the exercises. Dr. John
Chi, a plastic surgeon and professor at the Washington University School of
Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri, said the study raises more questions than it
answers.
"The jury
is still out on whether or not facial yoga is effective in reversing the signs
of aging," he said in an email. Chi, who was not involved with the study,
said he would recommend facial yoga to patients who found it relaxing and
enjoyable but not for the purpose of facial rejuvenation.
"While the
premise of facial exercises to improve the facial appearance or reverse signs
of aging is an appealing one, there is little evidence to suggest that there is
any benefit in this regard," he said.
Chi said facial
yoga had not been rigorously examined in peer-reviewed scientific studies.
Asked whether procedures such as face-lifts, Botox and fillers had been
rigorously examined in peer-reviewed studies, he replied: "Great question.
Attempts to do so have been made in the scientific literature with variable
levels of scientific rigor."
Alam agrees that
his study raises additional research questions, such as whether the exercises
would work for men and how much time people need to commit to doing the
exercises for them to be optimally effective. He would like to see a larger
study.