How to firm up your face?

Some people also advocate that facial gymnastics could be an effective technique for strengthening the muscles of one's face and improving the flexibility and firmness of one's skin. There are several types of exercises, most of which work the orbicular muscles, around the eye contour, and the masseters, the jaw muscles. These exercises are believed to increase the production of collagen and elastin, the supportive protein fibres of the skin, and to stimulate blood flow. However, the currently available scientific data is insufficient to assert that facial exercises can indeed help to tighten the skin of the face.

Indeed, the few studies that have examined the effect of facial gymnastics on skin ageing have numerous limitations. They were all conducted with very small samples, of less than ten people, and did not use a randomisation process, nor a control group. Furthermore, the evaluations of the effectiveness of facial gymnastics were purely subjective, carried out by the authors and/or the patients themselves, without measurement instruments. More research, conducted on a large scale and implementing a rigorous protocol, is necessary to conclude on the effectiveness of facial gymnastics for firming the skin of one's face.

If you are tempted to try facial gymnastics to firm up the skin on your face, you can find here most of the recommended exercises.

Diet can also be an interesting lever to firm up the skin on one's face. Indeed, certain nutrients, particularly antioxidants such as vitamin C and omega-3s, actively contribute to the protection of dermal structures against external aggressions. By limiting oxidative damage and modulating the enzymatic activity involved in collagen degradation, these compounds can help slow down skin sagging and maintain firmer skin. A study conducted by MEINKE and his team with 33 volunteers over four weeks showed that oral intake of vitamin C (100 to 180 mg/day) significantly increased the skin's ability to eliminate free radicals, thus reducing structural damage.

Furthermore, omega-3s, found particularly in vegetable oils, nuts, and fatty fish, play a key role in modulating the inflammatory and enzymatic processes involved in skin sagging. A study by EZZEDINE and his team involving 2919 volunteers showed that a higher intake of omega-3s was associated with a reduction in photoaging. This action is based particularly on the ability of these molecules to reduce the activity of matrix metalloproteinases, and thus the degradation of collagen and elastin, by inhibiting the MEK1/ERK/c-Fos and SEK1/JNK/c-Jun signalling pathways.

Beyond its crucial impact on overall health, a balanced diet could also contribute to firming the skin of the face.

Finally, although the techniques mentioned above may contribute to improving skin firmness, aesthetic medicine remains today the most effective method for visible and rapid results. Techniques such as hyaluronic acid injections, botulinum toxin, microneedling, radiofrequency, or even laser, can restore skin volume, improve its tone and stimulate collagen production. However, these procedures have certain drawbacks: they can be quite invasive and lead to more or less significant side effects, ranging from simple redness to bacterial infections, and even oedema. Lastly, aesthetic medicine comes at a cost, which can sometimes be high.

The advantages and disadvantages of various aesthetic medicine methods for tightening facial skin are compiled in the table below.