The New Edition of FlexEffect is Here!
EDS Skin Care Forums Forum Index » Skincare Tools & Do-It-Yourself Skincare

free skin care · Thu Apr 29, 2010 4:13 am

Josee I don't think we can put the technique down here (because of copyright) but if your really interested - I'd recommend you getting the kit. Its the best money I've ever spent!! I love how Cross Stretching feels, and it gives my skin such a glow. Its a fairly aggressive massage technique, that is not done daily, but they recommending doing it a particular way one day, then at least 2 days break, and the opposite direction the next day and again 2 days rest and so fourth, but I'm loving it all!

free skin care · Thu Apr 29, 2010 8:12 am

TheresaMary wrote:

Josee I don't think we can put the technique down here (because of copyright) but if your really interested - I'd recommend you getting the kit. Its the best money I've ever spent!! I love how Cross Stretching feels, and it gives my skin such a glow. Its a fairly aggressive massage technique, that is not done daily, but they recommending doing it a particular way one day, then at least 2 days break, and the opposite direction the next day and again 2 days rest and so fourth, but I'm loving it all!

Ohh.. OK I understand.

Is it possible to mention (without saying how the excercise goes) what is the rational behind the production of collagen??

I'm just asking because (as you know) at least the bone production thing does not seem credible to me.

But if it can't... it can't.

free skin care · Thu Apr 29, 2010 8:57 am

Sure, I understand. But if your not sure the bone thing is credible, what makes you think the technique for the skin would be any different?

I know I feel changes happening (and its not don't to hormones as I was over that ride long ago) but it feels like my face is really changing for the better. So who knows, maybe its working. I've been doing it for a while now, so it might just be starting to kick in.

I'm not comfortable with posting that stuff on here as it would be a copyright violation. Sorry.

Josee wrote:

Ohh.. OK I understand.

Is it possible to mention (without saying how the excercise goes) what is the rational behind the production of collagen??

I'm just asking because (as you know) at least the bone production thing does not seem credible to me.

But if it can't... it can't.

free skin care · Thu Apr 29, 2010 9:05 am

Josee wrote:

I'm just asking because (as you know) at least the bone production thing does not seem credible to me.

Hey Josee. The *theory* behind the bone production thing is totally credible and scientifically backed in that we know the growth and maintenance of bone can be stimulated *to a degree* by two general techniques: (1) muscle-building exercises/muscular tension on the bone, and (2) compression (e.g., jumping down stairs over a long period of time will stimulate increased bone density in the legs and spine). For example, it is known that the most elite tennis players have something like ~ 40% greater bone density in the arm that swings the tennis racket. Also, it has been found that senior citizens who have had their bones atrophy can improve their bone density through strength-training exercise, and even in many cases, through simply moderate exercise such as dance classes. FlexEffect has practices that claim to stimulate both of these two mechanisms of improving bone density. I think the question is whether the techniques they have developed are effective at doing this, and if so, to what degree do they work. Just my 2 cents.

Cheers Smile

free skin care · Thu Apr 29, 2010 9:27 am

I've been doing FlexEffect since March & suddenly, this week, I am looking in the mirror & thinking I am starting to look my younger self again, not the granny I am. I am really pleased with the results. I know I have gone off the diving board all at once, with the HF, STOP,Light Stim, Safetox etc all starting about the same time, but these other gadgets are addressing the even tone & clarity of my skin (really pleased here too) it is too early for collagen production from them, so it is the FlexEffect that is def lifting muscle.

The under eye area is filling out nicely & there is a definite plumpness to my cheeks. That nifty little eyelid opening exercise is a wonder - itsy little exercise, amazing results, big open eyes again, yes, I love it.

Although FlexEffect is completely new to me, I have done other facial exercises of many other types on & off for the last 12-13 years. Resistance training, as laid out in FlexEffect works for me. This system is a truly comprehensive programme which is well delivered in the thorough book.

One note, I cannot do the resistance exercises without wearing cotton gloves, I know deb's says not to do this, but this is the method I first ever started out with many years ago. I can get a really strong grip & for want of a better description really go bananas with the hold & pull which I can exert with this non-slip grip, I am convinced this has seen my rapid results along with muscle memory.

This is really exciting, even my mother said I was looking great today. Yeh!

What will a year of this produce - too much excitement Laughing

I'll be sticking with this one, I have my system set up now & it is not something I am going to relinquish easily, not with these results.

About to commence bone jolting, loving the cross-stretching. Will keep you posted girls, & thanks to all of you for the great info here at EDS that has led me to discover all these youthful products/gadgets/methods.

free skin care · Fri Apr 30, 2010 12:18 pm

That's SO awesome and inspiring, Cooking Katy! Thanks so much for sharing Smile

free skin care · Sun May 16, 2010 4:46 pm

Okay Flexeffect Flexers.....here we go....and it makes us beautiful!!!! Lala, a friend of mine from Flexeffect, had this on her Facebook and I couldn't resist!!!

Trust me it really does make us beautiful!! Very Happy

free skin care · Mon May 17, 2010 2:08 am

Toby, that is a hilarious little Mona Lisa cartoon, I love it, however she looks much more restrained & quite mild in comparison to my mirrored gymnastic reflection. And where are all her red marks from pulling her face about?

This all goes to show Mona is the timeless beauty we all knew her to be - but we now know her secret - FlexEffect.

free skin care · Mon May 17, 2010 2:36 am

I agree CookingKatie....how is flexing going for you???
Toby

free skin care · Mon May 17, 2010 4:57 am

Hi Toby,

the Flexing is going really well, I've got it broken into my own little system, I try & do it every morning. I have set the exercises into 3 groups, eyes, main muscle resistanec & neck. I have missed out some of Deborah's exercises but mixed in some of my own, this mainly applies for the neck. I still use my white gloves for good resistance holds, although Deb says not to, I always feel a bit naughty therefore, but it works for me.

I love the cross-stretching, have not yet added in jolting, & tend to do Tanaka, night & morning instead of Flex Effect massage (I know Sean says not to, as it is too often, but this really suits my skin), although occasionally I do the pinching, this is all proving to be an excellent regime - I am thrilled.

There is quite a lot to tackle each morning with all my gadgets & regimes, but one just has to do what one can.Bedtime can be catch-up time if the morning did not provide time.

free skin care · Mon May 17, 2010 5:33 am

I think I'm one of the reasons he says not to do it daily, as I was quite vocal about the terrible results I got when I tried, and so perhaps he's just covering himself but I know for me, it was a disaster, but like most things I think we're all individual so if it suits you doing it daily - I doubt he or anyone else would have a problem with it.

I knwo what you mean re gloves. I was the same as I had used them with previus systems, but I know when I spoke to Deb on the phone once she explained the reasons why. Its because they can iritate the skin, and I must confess when I think back to when I began, I did get pinky bits on my skin from gripping with the cotton. I remember reading though Olympia used to use gloves, so it just seems like if it works - keep doing it.

Cooking Katy wrote:

Hi Toby,

the Flexing is going really well, I've got it broken into my own little system, I try & do it every morning. I have set the exercises into 3 groups, eyes, main muscle resistanec & neck. I have missed out some of Deborah's exercises but mixed in some of my own, this mainly applies for the neck. I still use my white gloves for good resistance holds, although Deb says not to, I always feel a bit naughty therefore, but it works for me.

I love the cross-stretching, have not yet added in jolting, & tend to do Tanaka, night & morning instead of Flex Effect massage (I know Sean says not to, as it is too often, but this really suits my skin), although occasionally I do the pinching, this is all proving to be an excellent regime - I am thrilled.

There is quite a lot to tackle each morning with all my gadgets & regimes, but one just has to do what one can.Bedtime can be catch-up time if the morning did not provide time.

free skin care · Mon May 17, 2010 9:15 am

Cooking Katy wrote:

Hi Toby,

the Flexing is going really well, I've got it broken into my own little system, I try & do it every morning. I have set the exercises into 3 groups, eyes, main muscle resistanec & neck. I have missed out some of Deborah's exercises but mixed in some of my own, this mainly applies for the neck. I still use my white gloves for good resistance holds, although Deb says not to, I always feel a bit naughty therefore, but it works for me.

I love the cross-stretching, have not yet added in jolting, & tend to do Tanaka, night & morning instead of Flex Effect massage (I know Sean says not to, as it is too often, but this really suits my skin), although occasionally I do the pinching, this is all proving to be an excellent regime - I am thrilled.

There is quite a lot to tackle each morning with all my gadgets & regimes, but one just has to do what one can.Bedtime can be catch-up time if the morning did not provide time.

This is a great report Katy. Congrats.

free skin care · Sun Jun 13, 2010 4:01 pm

I posted part of this on another thread but thought it should be here as well.

This picture is not me but a friend of mine that is a flexeffect user. The lighting is not the exact same but both are outdoor shots( they always show the flaws). She is 44 in the first and 51 in the second. Below is some information she wanted to post here but her password wouldn't work. This is her message to me in an email.

I can't get on! I tried every combo of passwords, etc... and even the one they emailed me.....

If you like you can post this along with the photo:

I strongly suggest FlexEffects. And the newer program is the best ever. N/L area was always a concern for me and flexing really helped so much.Deb's program reallllly targets the lower part of the face- and you really have to attack it with force (see her daughter's video that comes with new program) and work it baby!

2003 and 2010 before any flexing

free skin care · Sun Jun 13, 2010 7:22 pm

Toby - thank you for posting. Lala achieved amazing results. Many flexers get great results. Pictures like that give strong motivation for sticking with facial exercises.

free skin care · Sun Jun 13, 2010 8:38 pm

I knew that was Lala! - Wow - what a lift up to her cheeks and quite a pulling of the NL area. Very obvious. She has less NL's at 51 than 44.
What else can one say!

free skin care · Mon Jun 14, 2010 1:00 pm

Yes, Lala looks great and just adorable! Her NL lines have virtually disappeared, you can see more build in her upper cheeks, her face is less puffy, and her skin is smooth and looks wrinkle-free. And in the full photo she posted in the FE forum, you can see that her eyes are way more open and less hooded, and her eyebrows are remarkably high and lifted on her forehead for a 50+ year old. It's really inspiring what she has achieved through FlexEffect (and her dietary changes)! It looks like she has stopped the clock over that 7-year period and reversed it a bit, too Smile

free skin care · Mon Jun 14, 2010 4:08 pm

Yes she is a younger 51 than at 44. Quite a nice commentary for eating healthy and flex effect.

free skin care · Mon Jun 14, 2010 4:37 pm

Folks not only is her face young looking but so is her body...she had a beach picture where she was standing with her son. She was in a two piece bathing suit.... honest to gosh she looked like his girlfriend Shock

. Eating healthy, flexing, and exercising pays off. Her parents had major health issues so she has seen first hand the importance of taking care of herself...it really shows!She is my inspiration.

Tue Jun 15, 2010 9:29 am

if u compare the two pics in photoshop u can see that the "after" pic is way more blurry. The skin is almost a glossy layer of color w no resolution in the after shot. no pores - nothing.

I wish that people would get similar images up and not something so different. it would be really helpful to us.

free skin care · Tue Jun 15, 2010 11:10 am

I agree about the photos, but also, not sure this is a good demonstration of the lessening of NLs -- because the NLs in this case seem to be a result of nicely rounded cheeks, which to me look youthful.

The greater concern for me re FE is reflected in these photos, with the second showing much more gauntness. Obviously, some of this is age-related and can't be helped, but my own FE experience was that it did promote gauntness. For six mos or so after the gauntness appeared I stayed with the program (version 2), but now have dropped all the FE exercises from my routine.

I'd love to hear comments re gauntness and the newest FE.

free skin care · Tue Jun 15, 2010 12:13 pm

If you have the propensity to become gaunt, I don't think it will matter which version you use, You are likely to still pass through that stage.

free skin care · Tue Jun 15, 2010 1:10 pm

happygolucky wrote:

if u compare the two pics in photoshop u can see that the "after" pic is way more blurry. The skin is almost a glossy layer of color w no resolution in the after shot. no pores - nothing.

I wish that people would get similar images up and not something so different. it would be really helpful to us.

I tend to agree with you. In the first picture there is definitely different lighting that puts a cast on the NL areas making them look deeper. Also in the first picture, she is smiling a little bit which will also make the NLs show up more. I know in my case if I don't smile I hardly have any NLs, but even if I smile a little bit then they show up.

I also agree with the other poster about the gauntness in the second picture...I actually think the first picture where there is more plumpness to the face makes her look much younger then the second picture.

The only way to be sure of results is to take pictures that have the identical lighting, pose, and no movement of the mouth. It is hard to find facial exercise websites that have pictures that have the same aspects (ie lighting, movement etc.) in the before and after to show an accurate depiction of the results.

free skin care · Tue Jun 15, 2010 2:29 pm

Hey Happy, Hermosa, and Lisa...

Thanks for the input.

You're right. That photo on the right (the after) is more grainy. I don't think so much so that it's blurred out the NL's... but not clear, none the less. It's also not so easy to compare shots as they are cropped. That reminds me to ask her for a more clear shot with a similar smile. She's such a sweetheart, I bet she'll do it as she has time.

Lala was so excited about her own improvements that she posted full face pictures on our site.

I'm guessing Toby was being a bit more cautious this time, guarding lala's feelings by not naming her and cropping her. Probably 'cause the comments were particularly rude with regard to her hair style choice and such last time. She's not a paid advertisement so people tend to be more concerned about feelings (I know I do!). And I suspect people would really let her have it this time, as she has chosen what many of us (at least I KNOW I'm in this boat) would never do. She has allowed her whole head to go gray. My personal aversion to gray makes me cringe. The WHOLE world should know about and USE color... LOL! But she truly pulls it off well. I wonder if I can get her to grow her hair out the way it was, and dye it back, get back to the same location at the same time of year, and same time of day, with that "touch of a smile." Would that be terribly intrusive???

I think with regard to perceived gauntness...If you look at the full face photos you can tell that she is, for lack of a better word, puffy in the earlier photos. Through years of discussions with Lala, it's quite apparent that major diet changes have reduced water retention, and inflammation in her body... as well as just losing some body fat. If you've ever seen a full body pic, you would see how she is more muscular and defined. She has the kind of body that would do quite well here in Cali! Perhaps a little hard even for some... and then again, not hard enough for other. Luckily for her... JUST RIGHT! I think most people would be so lucky to have her degree of self acceptance.

She has in the last 2 years or so, (I think that's right) taken up racing in swimming and cycling. So she would be leaning down even more, which in the world of facial appearance means that her face should in fact look older than it currently does. Meaning with the extra fat loss, loss of extra fluids (inflammation), and I'm gonna guess that her hormones are on the change as well, she should have sag hanging over those NL's by now.

It's quite important to realize that there is NO STOPPING the clock without death. Aging will happen regardless of anything you do. The question is, (whose slogan is this) How gracefully can you do it?

In the end for me? Lala is so pleased with her results, as I've learned through her literally gushing e-mails. She likes the way she looks. Her children are complimentary of her, her husband thinks (let's face it, KNOWS) he's one lucky man to be married to such a hotty (did I mention the bod...)... I could not be more pleased. She's also done quite well in asking for guidance. She's been on our forum asking detailed questions for herself. She's really good about not picking up anothers' concern/solution and trying to apply it to herself. In my experience, those that are the most happy, are the ones that ask, ask, ask questions. They are not half hazard about their approach at all.

Again, with regard to comments above, thanks!!! As time goes on, I will be looking to improve our before after photos in a way that a scientist would prefer them... Knowing full well, that I won't be able to please 100% of the people. Reality as it stands... you know?

And finally, let me just say how incredibly thankful I am to those real people out there willing to show what they are so pleased about. It takes a major set to put your face out there to be critiqued to the nth degree! It's not anything anyone HAS to do. And for that, I know I'm truly blessed!

free skin care · Tue Jun 15, 2010 3:12 pm

There are several factors that make it harder to compare the photos: Lala's smile is a bit wider in the first photo; the lighting is more flattering in the second photo; the first photo is taken up closer to her face than the second photo, hence making her face look fuller in the "before" photo; and her face does look more puffy in the before photo, too. But even after accounting for all these factors, to me, it does look like there is significant improvement in her NL lines and in her marionnette lines right below her lip corners. How much of the improvement is due to FE versus a better diet versus more exercise, I don't know.

Also, I don't think Lala is gaunt at all ... because then by that definition, I would have been super-gaunt when I started FE by those standards...which maybe I was Sad

, so yikes! But it's all relative anyways Cool

Regarding thoughts on gauntness--my favorite topic --there is all-over facial gauntness (still usually more evident in the lower cheeks) and there is gauntness just in the lower cheeks (usually the buccinators).

For the former, my understanding is that there are four standard reasons (can be combined) that are typically given for this in the context of facial exercises:

* Aging (loss of fat, muscle and bone)
* Diet (e.g., if insufficient carbs or protein or water, then this affects muscle recovery and/or facial fullness; I know the FE trainer Sean is big on this one and has helped several people with this issue)
* Very low bodyfat percentage (less common)
* Genetics (naturally very thin in the face; less common)

I have noticed a handful of times when people thought that it was just their buccinators sucking in, when it looked more like gauntness in multiple areas, so that's worth checking to ascertain which it really is.

For the latter, it usually means the natural musculature is sucking in. That is, the buccinators are like the abs, in that in a minority of people, they suck in before they build out. (But it could also be due to genetics, for example, as in a thin lower face). This can be fixed via massage and serious strength-training for the buccinators and other muscles in that area (e.g., risorius). Another thing to double check is that you are activating all your buccinator fibers when you do exercises for that area, and that your mouth and other muscles are not compensating for your buccinator, which would have the unfortunate consequence of making one look more gaunt.

I think a sixth factor that should be included is muscle (im)balance. If your mouth and jaw muscles are building up faster than your buccinator and risorius muscles (lower cheek) this is going to make you look more gaunt. If you are no longer a beginner, you can tweak your routine to so that you get more build in muscles that reduce the appearance of looking gaunt. For example more build in my upper cheeks made me look less gaunt. Also, building up your platsyma and risorius will help many people, too, and "soften" one's jawline in a more feminine way, and for a smaller percentage of people (like myself), building up the masseter and zygomaticus (but not too fast relative to the buccinators and risorius) will also help, as these muscles frame the area.

For FWIW, I had serious all-over facial gauntness. I had tried Facercise, which I liked, but it did not alleviate any of my gauntness and it did make it a bit worse looking, since it built up my mouth a bit, but not my cheeks. When I tried FlexEffect, the gauntness did not get worse anywhere with the addition of FlexEffect exercises, and it did get a lot better. I have been able to build up some significant muscle in my upper cheeks, and a fair amount but less so in my lower cheeks, so the latter is still a work in progress...but I'd still very happy with the results so far. My buccinator area is now more like a tiny valley, rather than the deep gorge it was. I'm not there yet, but hopefully I will get there in the year or as far as is realistically possible, given my background Smile

Sorry for rambling...I hope this is helpful to someone! Smile

free skin care · Tue Jun 15, 2010 3:36 pm

Those nasolabial look amazing now at 50 something. I saw her pictures at the FE forum, but I think she also uses a technique putting her fingers inside her mouth and drawing them down with her finger and then sucking or something like that.

Automatic Message

If this is your first visit to the EDS Forums please take the time to register. Registration is required for you to post on the forums. Registration will also give you the ability to track messages of interest, send private messages to other users, participate in Gift Certificates draws and enjoy automatic discounts for shopping at our online store. Registration is free and takes just a few seconds to complete.

Click Here to join our community.

If you are already a registered member on the forums, please login to gain full access to the site.