Facial Exercise: Share the Process and Results
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free skin care · Fri Oct 02, 2009 2:29 pm

aprile wrote:

Just adding my 2 cents here about Carole Maggio's exercises lying down ~ It's not just the prone position that creates the resistance. She often times has you pushing your feet against a wall to create resistance and that really does work well! You get more bang for your buck performing certain exercises in the prone position. (Others just work better seated). YES Toby ~ You do have the added benefit of getting them done before you even get out of bed!!! Laughing

Best regards, Aprile

I would love to see how the pushing against the wall thing works.

I hope Jedder will find his/her way over to this thread and see some of the results we have shared.

Thank you to Vangirl and CM for pointing this thread out and for contributing.

Wed Dec 09, 2009 10:36 am

Hello everyone,

Im relatively new here and just wondered if anyone had had success with getting rid of their crepey/saggy cheeks? I have lots of little horizontal lines on my cheeks which I detest. I really really dont have the time to do 30 mins of facial exercise a day and right now all I really need help with is my cheeks. Please please tell me someone's had some success in getting rid of their crepey skin on their cheeks!!

Thank you

free skin care · Wed Dec 09, 2009 12:25 pm

hey there, if anyone is checking this thread, just thought I'd give an update.

I did Ageless for about 8-9 months, and just couldn't get over the sudden arrival of these puffy folds of skin that occurred next to and slightly above my lips, particularly on one side. They're really ugly, and even after stopping exercising for two or more months, the pouchy parts are still there, which is pretty distressing to say the least. They decreased, as they are extremely evident after exercising, and the next day look particularly gross, but are still there, and it's particularly annoying that I didn't have any of this before I started.

I've thought about trying FE, but after reading so much about people and all their problems along the way, I've just got to think that it's probably more harmful than it is effective. So many people just drop away from it. I thought the regime was really helping me, particularly my puffy eyes, but I've since realized this is actually a result of being gluten-free after discovering I was celiac.

I guess I'm stuck with the pouches now, as they're showing no signs of dissipating, and I can't imagine that doing more exercising will help. I was pretty devoted to the exercises, and feel I gave a good long try, only to find I developed issues I didn't have - and being married to a photographer, there are literally thousands of photographs to prove it.

I still like the massaging side of it...

free skin care · Wed Dec 09, 2009 8:35 pm

Hi Trigger - I sure hope your appearance around the lips adjusts soon. I love massage also. Deb Crowley feels half of her results are likely due to massage. Claudia and Sean please feel free to chime in here.

I'm still faithful and lovin' facial exercise. I can't wait for FE's new CD (Sean, Claudia???) and I'm half thinking of snagging Carole Maggio's new one since it's out.

I saw a picture of myself (face shot) two years ago taken Early December and one of me last year same time and now there is one taken this year same time and YES there is a difference - eyes more open - my eyelids are more visible in the later pictures. It's very obvious and smacked me over the head.

I know there can be differences to account for with lightening, head position, etc when having a picture taken but I remember thinking to myself for a long while that my eyelids were lifting - more bright - open - I could feel it when I was putting on makeup and the pictures were so clearly representative of this.

free skin care · Wed Dec 09, 2009 11:23 pm

trigger wrote:

hey there, if anyone is checking this thread, just thought I'd give an update.

I did Ageless for about 8-9 months, and just couldn't get over the sudden arrival of these puffy folds of skin that occurred next to and slightly above my lips, particularly on one side. They're really ugly, and even after stopping exercising for two or more months, the pouchy parts are still there, which is pretty distressing to say the least. They decreased, as they are extremely evident after exercising, and the next day look particularly gross, but are still there, and it's particularly annoying that I didn't have any of this before I started.

I've thought about trying FE, but after reading so much about people and all their problems along the way, I've just got to think that it's probably more harmful than it is effective. So many people just drop away from it. I thought the regime was really helping me, particularly my puffy eyes, but I've since realized this is actually a result of being gluten-free after discovering I was celiac.

I guess I'm stuck with the pouches now, as they're showing no signs of dissipating, and I can't imagine that doing more exercising will help. I was pretty devoted to the exercises, and feel I gave a good long try, only to find I developed issues I didn't have - and being married to a photographer, there are literally thousands of photographs to prove it.

I still like the massaging side of it...

Trigger, I have to agree with you that for certain people, resistance exercises can bring more problems than benefits!

After having some nice results initially, I also have similar issues with pouches and exacerbated lines around my mouth after doing Ageless for 9 months... My face was becoming very thin and gaunt at the same time which made me look even older than before doing the program. I stopped it for a whole month but the hollowness and lines didn't go away.

Fortunately I found a non-resistance program called "Faceworks" as it really helps to soften the lines after a month or so. It also fills out my lower cheeks a bit and after doing the program for about 2 months, I would say that about 60-70% of the hollowness is gone. Recently I've also added Tanaka's massage into my routine which really brightens up my face.

Trigger, perhaps you can check out a more gentle approach with those non-resistance facial programs such as Facercise or Faceworks, which may help to deal with those dreadful pouches!

free skin care · Thu Dec 10, 2009 3:24 am

Hi everyone,

I have to say that my face looks awful after Ageless. I started with FE and even had a bit of overbuild in my cheeks (what I'd give for that now!) - but suddenly my cheeks went flat and a bit lumpy. It looks like malar bags in some light and the cheek is not smooth like they were before. My face also looks oblong.

Up until now I thought it was something else, like menopasue or something, but on reading your experiences, it seems that program is just not for me. The worst of it is, the cheeks just won't seem to build back up (i'm back to FE), they built fairly quickly with FE the first time.

I truly hope this is not permanent,

thanks

Jackie xx

free skin care · Thu Dec 10, 2009 3:28 am

Hi Trigger thanks for the update. Those puffy folds of skin might be the muscles being overworked, or other factors, but its good that you tried it for that time. I wouldn’t write off all facial exercise programs, as there are some good ones out there. I of course can understand your fear of FlexEffect, but there are qualified trainers there who help people out. Problems along the way that people experience, they actually will experience with almost every program out there. There is so much written about FlexEffect simply because it was the first to have its own dedicated forum etc, but you can find horror stories about any program out there that you wish to find.

With the pouches, they might also be overbuild of the muscles, as sometimes when I have gone gungho at the muscles there, they bulk up pretty quickly and create what resembles jowls, but usually after a vacation from everything they snap back to their former state so I’d be interested to know what happens if you rest them.

Deb has always said half her successful results was due to massage, and I personally think part of the reason my facial tissue has remained so healthy is at least 60-70% because of the massage, but I also recognize the exercises have played an important role in that too. I think also DIET is fundamental no matter what program your doing (I know call me a parrot but its so true, look at the threads starting to appear on green smoothies etc).

Trigger its also so good that you recognized that gluten isn’t right for your body. Gluten and Wheat are both major ones that I think effect the majority of people I meet, and thank goodness restaurants nowadays are starting to cater for this.

Moonstone, I have read with interest your comments on EDS and the FE forum. I understand your reasons for arriving at the conclusion you have, but I think that resistance exercises are more of a learning process rather than a foregone conclusion. There comes a time when people have to adapt it for themselves, and that’s where the FE forum really is a good advantage, as you have trainers there willing to help (and I would have gladly helped you on the FE forum and still will if you want it). The problems that can show up are temporary and there is always a solution whether its adapting an exercising, leaving it out, resting etc. There is so much out there that I think its difficult to just write them off.

The thinness and gauntness though is always in my opinion DIET related. I’m guessing your diet hasn’t changed, but when your going after muscles, your body demands more calories and protein for the workouts, and if it has insufficient at its disposal, it will use the nearest available supplies it can. The body is all about surivival. I have seen gauntness in the past so many times, and then went through a stage where all the people I was working with showed up and were getting gauntness and then it hit me one day to do diet profiles on those people, and sure enough nothing had changed from before they were flexing to the moment they were at, and it suddenly occurred to me that the reason for that was that they weren’t eating sufficient calories to help their bodies recuperate from the workouts. Its something that bodybuilding had always had in place about eating protein/calories before/after workouts, but no one had ever adapted that to facialbuilding, and sure enough when the clients I was working with added more calories, their weight didn’t go up, but much of the gauntness vanished, and they seemed to actually get build in the places they were wanting as a result. Life is like that though -sometimes what we need to learn is thrown at us.

I just wanted to throw this out there for consideration, as gauntness is something that many people experience and if something as simple as adding healthy snacks to their regime fixes it - its all good in my book!

Sean

free skin care · Thu Dec 10, 2009 3:46 am

I just wanted to chime in here, I was one person who Sean suggested yonks ago to up the calories, and I didn't do it straight away, and added another exercise program in, but started going gaunt and he suggested taking a break from the exercises, and then reintroducing the two systems I was using slowly but also upping my calories.

I was so desperate I figured I would give those suggestions one last try, and bingo it worked a treat. I saw a change within a matter of a week and my skin looked (and still looks fantastic!). So I really would say thats a good suggestion (that I didn't follow at first so learn from my mistake!).

free skin care · Thu Dec 10, 2009 4:04 am

SeanySeanUK wrote:

Deb has always said half her successful results was due to massage, and I personally think part of the reason my facial tissue has remained so healthy is at least 60-70% because of the massage, but I also recognize the exercises have played an important role in that too. I think also DIET is fundamental no matter what program your doing (I know call me a parrot but its so true, look at the threads starting to appear on green smoothies etc).
Sean

Sean, I am not attacking or against facial exercise, I believe some people will benefit from facial exercise. However, if 60-70% are based on massage, + ?% exercise + ?% diet, how many left for facial exercise, 10% or less? In that case, do you think it is worth to risk trying facial exercise?

I totally agree with you on diet and exercise, as they are so important and many people overlook.

I work with a group of age 55+ American men. The one who exercise look so much younger and better than the one who don't.

free skin care · Thu Dec 10, 2009 5:08 am

Hi Critic

I didn’t explain myself properly, so thanks for pointing this out. The percentages are roughly ideas I have of the amount of time I personally have spent on my own face. I didn’t include diet in that equation, as I believe for me its impossible to separate it, as diet is priority for me personally and the other stuff comes after that.

Its not that I think facial exercises produce 30% results. I had intended to say that the reason for my face being as healthy as it is, has been because I have focused a great deal of my training time on the massage and probably have spent more time massaging my face than exercising it. I do the 40 exercises in the current book (and have done for years and still get results from them) and they are so second nature to me now. With the massage however, having trained in so many different forms, I have always experimented with my own face as well as working on clients, and so in the greater course of things I would imagine that I have spent 60-70% of the total time so far on my face. I suspect that in the same context out of the entire time I have spent on my face 40-30% is the time I would have spent on the exercises in comparison.

I think everyone can benefit from facial exercise, and didn’t see your post as an attack at all. But of course they don’t produce overnight success which is where I think the problem lies as many people want results yesterday. I don’t think there is a risk as such for any facial exercise apart from learning about your own facial structure, say which muscles are stronger (and bulk up quickly) and which ones are weaker (and won’t want to play for a while). Also the muscles (just like the body) don’t all switch on at once, and that’s also partly the problem.

I think facial exercises can produce results, and my face would by now be sagging without them, but I think they play a small role compared with Diet and Massage but nevertheless just as an important role.

I have always though DIET is crucial to general health (and interestingly enough that’s how I got involved in this stuff in the first place) because of my own situations and case, and then being involved in a car accident at a young age and having the lower right hand side of my jaw damaged, it spiraled me into this exciting world. I haven’t always done FlexEffect, but did another system prior to that, which did produce some great results, but then I hit a plateau (as many people do). The reason for that plateau looking back now is so obvious, its because the system was only for toning, not building muscle and helping the muscle to remain at its prime. That’s why I truly believe FlexEffect is one of the best programs, because it goes after all the muscles aggressively, it doesn’t leave an out, but of course it is aggressive and so if people are too scared to touch their own faces this isn’t for them right now, but sooner or later I think more and more people will turn to facial exercises and experience great results.

Thanks for the opportunity to clarify this Critic!

Sean

critic wrote:

SeanySeanUK wrote:

Deb has always said half her successful results was due to massage, and I personally think part of the reason my facial tissue has remained so healthy is at least 60-70% because of the massage, but I also recognize the exercises have played an important role in that too. I think also DIET is fundamental no matter what program your doing (I know call me a parrot but its so true, look at the threads starting to appear on green smoothies etc).
Sean

Sean, I am not attacking or against facial exercise, I believe some people will benefit from facial exercise. However, if 60-70% are based on massage, + ?% exercise + ?% diet, how many left for facial exercise, 10% or less? In that case, do you think it is worth to risk trying facial exercise?

I totally agree with you on diet and exercise, as they are so important and many people overlook.

I work with a group of age 55+ American men. The one who exercise look so much younger and better than the one who don't.

free skin care · Thu Dec 10, 2009 8:30 am

Wow, that's really interesting hearing from others who have experienced the same thing!

I too have developed what I call parenthesis lines about a centimetre from either side of my mouth that definitely were not in existence before, as well as another vertical line a further centimeter and a half out (1/4 inch?).

I've read numerous posts on FE describing the exact same thing. People are always told their skin must have been sagging before hand, and the sudden lifting 'revealed' the lines previously hidden by sag. I myself consider this explanation completely implausible for my 35 year old skin which is in pretty good condition (people always thinking I'm in my early twenties). It's absurd to blame the sudden development of my lines on 'sag'. I don't have sag, I don't even have any wrinkles around my eyes (thanks retin A!!).

If my muscles haven't calmed down from their overwork in the (almost) three months I've stopped the exercises completely, I really don't think they're going to. The resulting pouches and lines are most certainly permanent. I also have a hollowed appearance under my cheekbones which I originally quite liked, having always had more of a puffy kind of face, but now realize I look notably older.

I think Seans remark that you can fix that by upping your calories is pretty silly (sorry Sean) - unless you want your hips and thighs to baloon out first before you start plumping up in the face, as that is the usual course of events. I for one am a completely healthy weight for my body, and certainly don't feel like it should be time for me at my age to start the question of trading off the body for the face (you know the age old remark that you can either have the body or the face past a certain age).

Anyway I for one regret my foray into facial exercise. I don't believe that I can undo what I've done to my face shape. The folds above my lips are ugly, and I feel my face looks notably more 'mature', but that's the risks you take when adopting practices that aren't proven to work - other than anecdotaly, and even that is debatable as I hear just as much stuff on the net from those it hasn't worked for.

Anyway, that's my rant!!!! All the best to those that do well with facial exercising! I know sister sweets and some others has had dramatic and wonderful results, which is fantastic, particularly as she is an impartial member on the board who gives fantastic and honest reviews. I have found that many of the threads that have a heavy component also have their rapturous followers, but they tend to be a small few that often fall away at some point (or not). I myself have been one of them. I think it's so easy to get carried away thinking something is working, and much of it can be wishful thinking!! I too have been an overly enthusiastic poster on certain things I've tried, thinking that I've found the holy grail, only to fall away eventually disillusioned, when I realize that months later, results aren't as wonderful as I originally imagined they were/would be. I see this often in wonderfully informative posters as well. Awe inpiring posts that spawn many followers, only to result in an inevitable disappointment.

BTW, I have seen photos of Toby, which she had shown me privately which were positively amazing. She looks superb, and like she's taken a 10-15 years off. She also does many other things that are certainly worth taking note of. So, obviously my experience isn't universal, just rather common from my research. I just wanted to share it, as I feel it's just as important as anyone who has a positive one, and also to set the record straight, because I was pretty excited with my 'results' some months ago.

free skin care · Thu Dec 10, 2009 8:59 am

I’m not prescribing to fix anything by upping calories alone without careful investigation into the person themselves and what might be going on with their routines, lifestyles, diet etc - and don’t worry, I appreciate the opportunity to discuss. The guantness is something that I have had personal experience of dealing with (and trained sufficient people to come out of the other side and so know it can be done). There is always a solution to every problem for sure. The point about upping calories though is not for each and every single case, but I thought worth mentioning to help people who may be experiencing guantness.

Just to be clear, I’m not advising that people double their calories, simply include a few additional more if they are building muscle in a healthy snack for example, which will not add greatly to the hips and thighs. I personally don’t believe you have to trade off your body for your face at all - that’s not what I’m suggesting at all. That advice alone is based solely on my experience with FlexEffect and its an aggressive program for sure, but that’s not to say if you do a toning only program your going to need to do the same thing, as you clearly wouldn’t have to.

Although I’m a fan of facial exercises, I’m realistic about what facial exercises can do and don’t prescribe them for every one I meet and every situation out there. I’m sorry my posts are long, but I’m trying to cover all the facts to help people - but I take your point and wont respond to posts from this point on. I don’t sell the FE book or materials, I’m simply a trainer, and before being a trainer I had purchased programs (like many EDS’ers here) and wanted to share my findings and knowledge to date (for free - I don't charge people for it). I’m sorry you saw my attempts at being helpful as a selling tactic - that wasn’t the case at all. I’m not against other programs, as they all have their place and so try to help people out when I can, but I’ll stop now as I have obviously outstayed my welcome.

Apologies to all (off to hang head in shame!).

Embarassed

free skin care · Thu Dec 10, 2009 9:30 am

Although I thought the same as you Trigger but I have to say I was at a point where I was getting desperate and then tried the advice he gave above after checking with him and it certainly didn’t add anything to my thighs, hips, or tummy at all - I think that’s a horrible suggestion your makng as its not true. I’m a lot older than you (I’m in my middle years literally).

I have even told him at times I was going to do another program in conjunction with it (Ageless like you) and he helped me out with it. Actually I prefer people to state their allegiance to brands as it helps to know where a persons knowledge comes from, and that came up in the facial exercises thread some time ago and I think someone suggested he put the brand he represents there so people knew that info too and I think its better to have too much info than too less.

I appreciate Bethany’s posts and I believe she is always upfront about her experiences, positive and negative and Toby too. That’s what EDS is for, and its helpful to have Lips2Kiss, FE, Prolight woman (I forget her name), Ageless etc people on here to answer questions. I’d rather have too much info than too less but that’s just me!

T

free skin care · Thu Dec 10, 2009 10:30 am

After six mos of facial exercising, I am very much feeling uncertain. I haven't seen serious problems, but I also don't see huge improvement after doing Ageless and FE and...maybe I am overdoing it? How does anyone know that? I am also using the BQ and retin-A and taking handfuls of vitamins and supplements, and of course splash a DIY vit c/ferulic acid concoction over my face every morning and now do the bone massage at least once a day.

So I appreciate that all of us are together on this search for knowledge, Sean being no less a quester than the rest. Thank you, Sean!

free skin care · Thu Dec 10, 2009 10:38 am

trigger wrote:

- and being married to a photographer, there are literally thousands of photographs to prove it.

I still like the massaging side of it...

I'd be interested in seeing before and afters if possible?

free skin care · Thu Dec 10, 2009 10:45 am

Okay, here is my concern about the facial exercise (I have brought it up before but not sure there will ever be any resolution). As presented, all the programs are essentially one-size-fits-all. So whereas a given exercise (or set of exercises) can completely erase one person's n/l lines, on another person with different bone structure/amount of fat/thickness of skin, the exercise produces ugly pouches.

There are personal trainers on every corner who will advise me about which exercises I can do to improve the rest of the body, but when it comes to facial exercise, it's a do-it-yourself sort of enterprise. Oh, I know that there are facial exercise trainers, but somehow, I can't see that getting advice via Skype is going to cut it. I can barely recognize my own family members on Skype!

Right now I am doing primarily cheek exercises plus the massage. We'll see where that goes. The massage, at least, seems relatively benign--it may not do a lot of good but I also don't think it can cause a lot of harm.

free skin care · Fri Dec 11, 2009 4:27 pm

Trigger,

perhaps, if you can post some little snippets of before/after pictures so someone knowledgeable would be able to have a worthy recommendation?

I can understand how frustrating it is for you. I have no interest of any kind (even though I have bought both FE and Ageless), I am doing neither (I am doing another program at the moment), but may turn to FE when a new version comes out. I am just trying to find a positive way out of a crisis. That is all.

Good luck.

free skin care · Fri Dec 11, 2009 6:08 pm

Here's my update on facial exercises...

I've been doing FE since July 2008. Great progress overall for the first 7-8 mos. Developed gauntness in my lower face (hollow scooped cheek) and it seems overall a general loss of volume. My face had always had plenty of fat and had had a soft as opposed to an angular look all my life.

I now look quite angular. My face is overly defined -- instead of a soft wide cheek, I now have a defined ridge along my cheekbone and gauntness below. My cheeks are smaller. I have a modelly silhouette that is not flattering on a woman of 43. More than one person has commented on it. I posted extensively with pics on FE's workshop forum, got a lot of input and followed most of the recommendations. Now it's three months later and vis a vis gauntness, my face hasn't changed. I upped my protein (for 2 months 75-90 g a day -- sorry, but I think this is too much and have cut back), I've gained 6 lbs, I've tested my hormones (fine). Still gaunt.
So. I've taken a rest from all the exercises (hard to do when I start seeing NL's developing and mouth pouches --- I had pretty much conquered those previously) for the last two weeks and am going to continue for another two in the hopes that I can get some softness and volume back. I'm going to get a series of microcurrrent facials. I am hoping that the microcurrent will kickstart my buccinator muscle (the one responsible for the hollow cheek) and fill this area out. I think I need my upper cheeks to atrophy a bit as the built up upper cheek coupled with the gaunt hollow exacerbates the problem. My stats for FE:

Excellent progress and very happy with:
forehead/eyes (one is a bit lazy, but I am working on it)/jaw/neckline/upper cheek/brow. Not happy with mid and lower cheeks. Pretty happy with NL's.

I don't want to post my pics publically. However, if any of you access the Ageless forum, my gauntness is similar to ocdinaway and Nere's (but much worse).

That's my progress in a nutshell!

free skin care · Fri Dec 11, 2009 8:11 pm

Oh my goodness. Ocdinagoodway has the exact same thing happen to her that happened to me! See how she suddenly developed a parenthesis line around her mouth, and then another line further out? That's what I've got! I've got a big more pouchiness inside the first parenthesis though. It really confirms for me that I really didn't suddenly just age out of the blue (of course you question that something that's meant to be helpful could suddenly age you so much, and consider you may have just suddenly aged yourself).

Very glad you got some good results Vangirl. So long as they don't overshadow any of the negative effects, I guess you still feel it was worth it?

I really wish I had never done facial exercises, but when I started, there wasn't a whole lot of people complaining of the bad results that are very easy to find now. I don't think I would have begun if I had discovered it now, due to the amount of research I do before entering into something. The mouth pouches and hollowing is very well documented by now. Soooo many people get it. I think (or hope) I would consider the risk too great, as there aren't that many pictures that really convince me it's worth it.

* moderated

free skin care · Fri Dec 11, 2009 8:26 pm

Why dont you try tanaka's massage? The video is free so you dont have anything to lose. I did ageless exercises and it made my jowls worse. But tanakas massage did not make my face worse. I guess facial exercises arent for everyone. Tanaka's massage is a lymphatic drainage massage which is less aggressive. I think lymph massages are more effective. Most Japanese do lymph massages and look at their skin.

free skin care · Sat Dec 12, 2009 10:45 am

Questions for Sis please;

1.) Do you still find that you are *building* new muscle mass with continued exercise, or is it more or a *maintenance* goal at this 2ish year mark for you?

2.) What are your suggesstions (based on the different programs you are familiar with) for the most intensive *jawline* exercise? Same question for eye orbit area please.

3.) Have you tried or read about the Tanuka massage Critic introduced, and if so do you think it compliments facial exercise? Also, which would you advise doing 1st, the massage or the exercise? (I've done this specific massage 5 or 6 times, and do see positive improvement so far. I have been doing lymphatic facial massage for about a year now, and didn't see this visible change till doing Tanuka.)

Thanks Sisareno... Very Happy

(Off to one of the grandkids birthday parties now, but look forward to hearing your thoughts.)

free skin care · Sat Dec 12, 2009 12:58 pm

trigger wrote:

Oh my goodness. _____ has the exact same thing happen to her that happened to me! See how she suddenly developed a parenthesis line around her mouth, and then another line further out? That's what I've got! I've got a big more pouchiness inside the first parenthesis though. It really confirms for me that I really didn't suddenly just age out of the blue (of course you question that something that's meant to be helpful could suddenly age you so much, and consider you may have just suddenly aged yourself).

I got parentheses and a pouch for awhile. Slight rejigging of exercises and time settled that. I think they're common in the facial 'rebuilding process.' Unfortch at that point, it seems like a lot of people drop out.

trigger wrote:

Very glad you got some good results Vangirl. So long as they don't overshadow any of the negative effects, I guess you still feel it was worth it?

I should say that my intent with starting FE's was that there was a general sort of sliding down look to my face...features sliding towards my mouth. That look is gone. Prior to fe's I was doing botox for a number of years and resty to the eye hollows. I no longer have to do either. I hope that I can find a way to plump my lower face without having the sag come back...and then keep doing the ex's. If I can't then right now I think what I would probably do is go back to full exercise and just get a lil something for my hollows (sculptura/perlane). I was very happy with the way I had eliminated all that sag and incipient sag -- just hoping that the ramification wasn't cheek hollows.

As far as the Tananka, I have followed that thread and am going to wait until some of the middle-aged Caucasians post later (ie a few months down the road) results. I think young people and older Asians have generally more subcutaneous fat and don't have quite the same sagging issues. I just don't want to jump from life raft to life raft. Having said that, I am thinking about the AALS...

VG

free skin care · Sat Dec 12, 2009 1:31 pm

That's nice to hear Vangirl. I'm glad you're happy with what FE has helped you achieve. Of course it's unfortunate that you trade one thing for another, but it is good to hear you've no regrets, and prefer your face post FE.

Mine is to a lesser degree, but the problems arose very early on, and I continued to practice for quite some time (months), only to see the condition get worse and worse. I don't know how long people can be expected to keep the faith. Perhaps it just doesn't suit some faces? I just didn't think it worth the risk, with so few good 'after' pictures to see, and so many with problems.

Loulou's recent response to someone upset about mouth pouches was "I don't get them because I hardly ever exercise" which almost made me think they were inevitable, if one exercises. But of course this is due to each individals anatomy. I'm not sure if the fact that you were able to work through the lines and pouches to arrive at hollowness is any more encouraging to me. But, I'm relatively young, and was looking for something preventative. Was not expecting to age myself. I'm sure if I had sagging and had seen more positive things than negative, it would change my perspective. As it is, I'm doing ok lookswise. My mother looked wonderful and only started to age in her mid-fifties, so I'm hoping I've got a grace period, and by then we'll have even better tools in the anti-aging arsenal, or the kinks would have been ironed out of the facial exercising thing... here's hoping Very Happy

free skin care · Sun Dec 13, 2009 12:58 pm

Kassy_A wrote:

Questions for Sis please;

1.) Do you still find that you are *building* new muscle mass with continued exercise, or is it more or a *maintenance* goal at this 2ish year mark for you?

ANSWER

I can't say I am building more - I think it's more like things are "holding" in place longer. My facial muscle seems to have better memory and it wants to stay upward. In the beginning it would look good for a while and then go back (sort of like what your body would do - muscles get infused with blood, etc and sculpt for a time but then receeds.). I will say that there is build - or more overall contour to my face. I've been guilty of the overbuild in that I'll look not quite like myself. It's a weird thing when that happens, The BF mentioned it once - he said "you don't look like you". And he was right and then I realized I had been flexing like a maniac. So I kicked it back a bit.

I guess I would say I'm trying to maintain what I've earned with the last two years and prevent further sag.

2.) What are your suggestions (based on the different programs you are familiar with) for the most intensive *jawline* exercise? Same question for eye orbit area please.

ANSWER

I love FE exercises for the eye area - better than Ageless. There is a freebie on Eva Frasier for the upper eye that is great - very similar to an FE one. I'd check that out. I've kicked back the lower eye exercise from FE a bit - made me uncomfortable to stretch that area but I still do a variation.

Jawline - hummm. Do a bunch. I've seen some terrific improvement here. Lea Eigard has a freebie on her site - great for jawline. Also "Kiss the Ceiling" - another freebie many do on EDS. Carole Maggio has several that I like also. You can find most of these free on youtube. I do three neck exercises from FE and I like them. Another exercise I do at the gym but a carpet would work: Lay down and lift head off the ground and rotate it left and then right as many times as you can - I do about 30 or so each way or more. You'll feel it!!!

In general I love scalp raiser from FE for the face overall. It's one of my favs - feels so good. And helps you wiggle your ears too - a bonus Very Happy

3.) Have you tried or read about the Tanuka massage Critic introduced, and if so do you think it compliments facial exercise? Also, which would you advise doing 1st, the massage or the exercise? (I've done this specific massage 5 or 6 times, and do see positive improvement so far. I have been doing lymphatic facial massage for about a year now, and didn't see this visible change till doing Tanuka.)

ANSWER

I love the Tanaka massage; yes, a positive improvement - I think it gives the face a look of rest and repose - Appears to take away the stressful, tight look we can easily get when life comes down on us. The theory regarding the moving of lymph also makes perfect sense from a science perspective as many of you science folks would agree. I can't say as it is going to enhance collagen production which I know many of us are into with dermarolling, pinching/pulling type massage, etc. but it is a wonderful asset. I'm so glad critic brought this to our attention.

Thanks Sisareno... Very Happy

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Thanks for asking Kassy doodle.... Love ya Wink

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free skin care · Sun Dec 13, 2009 5:59 pm

Thank you Sis, that's very helpful... Regarding the FE eye exercise, I also felt a little uncomfortable with the 'anchoring pulling down' part of it.. I found that if I used 3 fingers pressed just at the very top of the cheekbones, I could still get a good resistance, but it didn't stretch my skin unnecessarilly. Kind of spreading out on the area to be anchored, rather than just using one finger.

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