Effects Of Weight Loss On Your Facial Skin
If you have managed to lose excess weight recently then very well done to you! Weight loss can do wonders for your body and for your skin if you have been following a healthy, nutritious diet to lose weight. However, there is a common problem that can occur when a reasonable amount of weight and fat is lost from the body.
Many people who lose weight feel fantastic about the way their body looks but they may be less happy about the effects weight loss can have on their faces. Weight loss can leave you with a face that appears older. This is because fat plumps out the skin. When weight is lost skin that may have stretched because of weight gain has nowhere to go and this leads to sagging of the skin.
On the face this is particular noticeable around the bottom half. So jowls may appear and your neck may develop the dreaded ‘turkey neck’ look.
If you only needed to lose a small amount of weight then it’s possible that you have not experienced the problem of facial aging from weight loss. It usually only occurs when a lot of weight is lost.
Rapid Weight Gain
Another way facial aging is accelerated is when weight gain occurs too quickly.
If we rapidly gain weight our skin is less able to adapt, stretch marks can occur and the skin may be damaged, sagging and hanging in loose folds. With slower or gradual weight gain the skin stretches overtime and is less likely to be damaged.
As we are all aware wrinkles form as a natural part of the aging process however rapid weight loss can accelerate the formation of wrinkles. As fat cells are lost the ‘cushioning’ effect they provide is also lost and as well as sagging this can lead to creasing and wrinkling.
So What Can You Do?
Firstly rapid weight loss and weight gain are to be avoided at all costs but if you suffer from facial sagging as a result of rapid weight loss or weight gain you may be wondering if you are stuck with a sagging face forever.
Regaining the weight isn’t an option so what can you do to improve the tone and condition of your skin?
Facial Exercises Can Help You
This is where facial exercises can really work their magic. Facial exercises tone and strengthen all the muscles of your face and neck. Blood circulation improves which in turn helps to plump out the skin and improve the appearance of the complexion.
Three of the most common facial skin problems that occur after weight loss are:
- Wrinkles (crow’s feet) around the eyes become more prominent
- Jowls appear
- The neck sags and creases giving a ‘turkey neck’ appearance
Here are some FREE facial exercises to help you improve the appearance of your skin after weight loss. For all exercises sit or stand in a comfortable position keeping your back straight and shoulders back but relaxed.
Facial Exercises For Eye Wrinkles
It is difficult but not impossible to minimize the appearance of wrinkles around the eyes. Facial exercises that target this area work on lifting and toning the orbicularis oculi muscle that surrounds the whole eye area.
By exercising this area you can prevent drooping eyelids and brows, a problem that instantly ages your appearance.
The increased blood flow to the area that occurs when you exercise your face muscles will also help to ‘plump up’ the eye area.
When you exercise the eye area it’s important to be very gentle as the skin here is thinner than in other parts of the face and very delicate.
Exercise 1
This exercise strengthens the muscles around the eyes helping to lift and tone.
- Close your eyes
- Place the index finger of both hands onto each eyelid (left to left, right to right)
- Squeeze the eyes as tightly as possible and count to 5
- Now remove your fingers and open the eyes as wide as possible
- Next rapidly move your eyes from side to side 5 times – do not move the head just the eyeballs
- Relax the eye area and repeat 5–10 times
Exercise 2
This exercise directly targets the crow’s feet wrinkles around the eyes
- Place the middle and ring fingers over the outside corner of each eye where crows feet wrinkles occur
- Very gently pull the corners of the eyes outwards towards the temple to a count of 5
- After the count of 5 close the eyes tightly
- Repeat 5-10 times
Facial Exercises For Jowls
The appearance of sagging jowls is a common problem that occurs with weight loss. The following exercises target the jowl area helping to firm up, lift and tone this area.
Exercise 1
This exercise helps to reduce jaw line sagging and bagginess.
- With one hand hold the jowl on one side of your face with the middle and index finger – left hand to right jowl and vice versa is the most comfortable way to do this
- With your other hand use the padded area at the base of your thumb on the palm side to lift the skin in this area upwards
- Start in the middle of the chin and work along the jaw line out towards the ears
- Repeat 3 times
- Repeat on the other side
Exercise 2
This exercise is more of a massage technique than a facial exercise but it can be quite effective for jowls as it encourages the effective circulation of lymph throughout the body. This can reduce sagging and puffiness along the jaw line.
- Place your index and middle fingers behind the ears
- Massage gently in a downwards direction, circular motion
Facial Exercises For The Neck
The skin of the neck is, like the skin around the eyes, very delicate. This area is prone to creasing and a crepe-like appearance but weight loss can aggravate the problem.
Exercise 1
This exercise works on the front of the neck to combat the dreaded ‘turkey neck’ effect.
- Tilt your head back and look upwards to a point in front of you and not directly above your head
- Push out your lower lip and bring it up over the top lip towards the nose so you feel a stretch in the jaw and neck muscles
- Hold for a count of 5.
- Release and relax your head back down
- Repeat 5-10 times
Exercise 2
This exercise targets the throat, upper neck and jaw line to promote a lifting effect.
Tilt your head upwards towards the ceiling
- With your lips together pucker the lips as if about to give a kiss
- Push your lips out further and maintain the kissing action
- Hold for a count of 10
- Relax and lower your head back to centre
- Repeat 5 times
More Help To Recapture A Younger Looking You
It can be devastating to find that with weight loss comes facial aging. For once you have a younger looking body but you may have been left with an older looking face.