Facial yoga offers many benefits, but its reported side effects make some people wary of adding it to their daily routine. Although these possible side effects aren’t as large as the side effects of skin care options like laser treatments or fillers, no one wants to risk harming their skin. Fortunately, the side effects of facial yoga can be avoided. A carefully and correctly performed facial yoga routine cuts out the possible risks of breakouts or increased wrinkling.

Superstitions abut face yoga - true or false?

Facial yoga can be a great way to tone, tighten the skin on the face and reduce the appearance of wrinkles. However, not every beauty and wellness website and app sings its praises. In fact, you might have seen claims that facial yoga can cause wrinkles instead of preventing them. These claims can seem pretty logical. After all, repeated motions of your facial muscles, such as smiling, laughing, and frowning, are big reasons the wrinkles appear at all. Conversely, research has demonstrated that facial yoga can deliver younger skin and improve overall appearance. In one study, participants saw improvements after just 20 weeks of sticking to a facial yoga routine. This seems to line up with people who swear by facial yoga as an important part of their skin care routine.

So, what is the truth?

A little bit of both. Facial yoga exercises done incorrectly can cause wrinkling. Facial yoga takes practice and good technique. You can create creases by doing moves incorrectly, and that could lead to wrinkles over time. However, facial yoga done carefully and correctly won’t cause wrinkles. Instead, a correctly performed routine can help your skin look younger and healthier.

What are the possible side effects of face yoga?

Facial yoga doesn’t have the same side effects concerns as skin care treatments like Botox, fillers, or even a new moisturizer. So it might surprise you to learn that there are a couple of possible side effects. Fortunately, you can avoid both side effects if you perform your routine carefully. The side effects of facial yoga can include:

• Creating new wrinkles. You can increase wrinkling and signs of aging if you perform facial yoga moves aggressively or incorrectly.
• Acne. Facial yoga involves a lot of touching your face. This can transfer oil, sweat, and bacteria from your hands to your face, resulting in clogged pores and breakouts.

Ways to avoid the side effects

The side effects of facial yoga are avoidable with care and practice. One of the most important things you can do is make sure that every move you do is careful and slow. Rushing through facial yoga exercises can lead to the unwanted side effects.

Timing and duration of the exercises

It can be tempting to rush through your facial yoga routine, but like all yoga, facial yoga is meant to be done with intentionality. It’s essential to take your time and do each move in your routine slowly. Many facial yoga moves have a set amount of seconds to hold on each repetition. Count each second out and breathe through every move.

Face yoga and different skin types

It’s best to wash your hands before you begin your routine. It can also be a smart idea to wash your face right after a facial yoga session, especially if you have oily or combination skin. Washing your face right after your routine prevents any oil, dirt, and sweat from getting into your pores and causing a breakout.

Face yoga and skin conditions

If your skin is prone to inflammation, such as acne or rosacea, you might be worried that facial yoga will aggravate those conditions. This doesn’t have to be the case. Washing your hands and face can prevent facial yoga breakouts. Adding facial massage to your facial yoga routine can help with lymphatic drainage. This can reduce redness and the appearance of rosacea.

Tips and tricks

A mirror can be a great tool when you’re learning facial yoga. It’s one of the best ways to ensure you’re doing moves correctly. By doing moves in front of a mirror, you can ensure you’re recreating the same motions as any videos and photos you’ve seen. You can also make sure you’re not folding or creasing your skin. If your motions are incorrect or causing creases in your skin, looking in the mirror can help you correct them. It can also help to make sure you have a routine for your whole face. Even if you’re only trying to target a specific area, working the muscles throughout your face can help you build overall muscle control. It’s a good way to practice facial yoga overall, and it’s a great way to ensure you’re not accidentally creating wrinkles in areas you’re not targeting.

Checklist of advice to remember

For some advice on avoiding side effects at a glance, check out this list:

• Wash your hands before you begin your routine
• Wash your face after you finish your routine
• Perform exercise slowly and deliberately
• Do exercises in front of a mirror to watch for accidental skin creasing and incorrectly performed moves
• Make sure your routine includes exercise for you your entire face

Takeaway

There are possible side effects of facial yoga. However, unlike the side effects of many other skin care options, you can take control over these side effects. Performing your facial yoga moves carefully and correctly can avoid side effects and increase benefits. By taking the time to wash your hands and face, allowing each move and repeated enough time, and practicing moves to ensure you’re doing them correctly, you can eliminate side effects.