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There are muscles in
the face, and just like muscles in the rest of the body, they need
to be exercised so that they will stay supple and strong. Sagging
muscles cause wrinkles in the skin. The problem is, you can't exactly
send your facial muscles out for a good healthy jog. Facial massage
is the accepted method of exercising facial muscles.

Our facial muscles reflect stress
before our brains even know we are stressed. We pucker our lips,
or draw our brows together, or raise our eyebrows when we are subjected
to physical or emotional stress.
You might think that these
facial expressions would actually BE facial muscle exercise.
Facial expressions are facial muscle
exercise, but it is the wrong kind of facial muscle exercise. It's
the kind of exercise that causes wrinkles. Our repeated facial expressions
cause wrinkles rather than alleviate them.
Facial massage exercises the facial
muscles and relaxes them at the same time. Facial massage will increase
the flow of blood to the skin on the face. Gentle, upward strokes
done by a trained massage therapist will exercise and relax the
facial muscles and increase blood flow to the skin, all at the same
time.
Massage therapists are trained to
know where the pressure points are on the face, and they know how
to manipulate the muscles to help relax the muscles and restore
muscle tone.
You can give yourself a facial massage
if you want to. Use a moisturizer so that you fingers aren't pulling
the skin and causing friction, and use gentle circular motions at
the corners of the eyes and on the forehead. Use very, very gentle
upward strokes with your fingertips, beginning at your chin and
going upward and outward toward your hairline and your ears.
You can do facial massage to alleviate
those wrinkles between your brows, too. Use an upward and outward
stroke toward your hairline and a small gentle circular motion to
stimulate blood flow to the area.
Don't ever press very hard on your
skin. Facial massage needs to be extremely gentle to prevent
stretching the facial tissue.
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