Properly Toned Muscles are Key
The goal here is to “tone” the muscles properly. Muscles have an optimal length when properly toned to their axis or center. They become bigger and stronger as they develop. Muscles enlarge when they overcome resistance. To have a well-toned face you also want the muscle to regain its original length that has been lost due to age, gravity, time or special circumstances that are usually environmental in nature, like sun damage. The fit face gives the feeling and look of youth.
Repetitive Movement Can Cause Wrinkles
Muscles do attach from bone to bone in the body, essentially and from the bone directly into the skin on the face. In the western culture where we show a lot of emotions on our face and therefore habitually create expression, we tend to create lines on our faces. We are not creating lines in the muscles, but rather we’re creating lines in this subcutaneous layer.. the analogy being as if you were to “score” cardboard… we tend to “score” this subcutaneous layer and the lines are created as we repeat a particular expression over and over again.
Toned Muscles Can Reduce Wrinkles
Now, it’s a well known fact that men who shave regularly have fewer wrinkles on the whole than women who do not shave their faces. Why is that? Obviously, men are creating expressions as often as women do. Well, a couple of things are to be considered. First of all, men are gently exercising their faces as they shave, working the muscle in both directions, often massaging the skin (making it more resilient) as they do it, as well. They are also creating a “rubbing kind of massage” as they glide the blade over their faces, necks and areas around their lips. Not only are they therefore exfoliating their skin, that is removing dead skin cells, this process gently plumps the tissue as more fluid moves into this subcutaneous layer and the lines created through expression are filled and appear to look less prominent. You can sometimes even feel this fluid being pumped back into the tissue as a burning sensation, especially around the lips when performing some of the exercises in the CFF™ program.
Release and Erase Wrinkles
A deep wrinkle is caused by skin being stuck down to underlying tissue. Whenever that muscle contracts, the wrinkle is pulled down, creating a valley. Through Carolyn’s Facial Fitness™ exercises, you actually employ a technique that releases this tacked down “wrinkle” and you can literally gently rub out fine lines and make deeper lines less visible. As well, you are also using muscle resistance training that is working the muscles against resistance of the face and neck giving the appearance of youth as you build muscle fiber and create lift.
Properly Trained Muscles Give the Look of Youth
If you over-train the muscles of the face they may become “hyper-toned” or bulky looking. An over-trained face and neck are going to lack smooth contours. The muscles of the face do not always build with the same enthusiasm. Some areas build faster than other areas. With CFF™ we are training our faces and neck for a “balanced facial physique™”. No training at all means some atrophy of the muscles, etc… And we are all aware of what that looks like!
With the combination of building muscle fiber, pumping more fluid into the subcutaneous layer, allowing the skin to firm up around the contracted muscles and releasing wrinkles in your face, you have a firmer, fuller more contoured face and neck with less prominent lines. You actually look years younger than you are. It’s a kind of illusion that works and is a great alternative to expensive Botox® which may result in atrophying the muscles beyond repair over time or fillers and plastic surgery that often give an artificial look to the face. Carolyn’s Facial Fitness™ facial exercises enhance what you already have, let you age gracefully and will give you back the contours and softness of youth you thought you’d never see again.