If you could've started early, which facial ex program?
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free skin care · Sat Jan 28, 2012 3:19 pm

I am curious to know which facial exercise program you would recommend if you could have started while you were younger, before you had any problems-for prevention and maintenance only? I have read some have said to not do resistance training when you're young, some have said don't start until you see problems, some have said it made them look worse, etc.

I started doing some of the Facercise exercises from the Ultimate DVD. There are a few I'm not going to do, like the forehead one. I'm just curious if there are any other programs I should look into?

free skin care · Sat Jan 28, 2012 4:29 pm

RyanA wrote:

I am curious to know which facial exercise program you would recommend if you could have started while you were younger, before you had any problems-for prevention and maintenance only? I have read some have said to not do resistance training when you're young, some have said don't start until you see problems, some have said it made them look worse, etc.

I started doing some of the Facercise exercises from the Ultimate DVD. There are a few I'm not going to do, like the forehead one. I'm just curious if there are any other programs I should look into?

Hi RyanA I started face exercises when I had nothing wrong with my face. I was 20 and just liked the idea of "never getting old"--that's what I believe the exercises would do for one: stop the aging process.

The program I did for 15 years was Eva Fraser's program from her 1991 book and I had beautiful tone and no problems whatsoever all the way to my mid-30's. In fact, without even meaning to or aware it was happening, I went from having hooded eyelids to having eyes that don't give a hint of ever having had droopy eyelids. If I hadn't been intrigued about another program and caused problems in my own face that it seemed Eva's couldn't undo, I probably would still be doing Eva's program. I mean just looking at Eva in her 80's tells me that hers is a program that could've seen me all the way to old age w/o any problems. *sigh*

free skin care · Sat Jan 28, 2012 10:10 pm

Most people have a favorite program, so you will likely get different answers from different people. But on EDS, the most popular programs tend to be FlexEffect, Facercise, Carolyn's Facial Fitness, and Ageless If You Dare. Other less commonly mentioned but good programs include Tom Haggerty's Shapeyourface.com, Evan Fraser's Facial Fitness, Senta Maria Runge's Face Lifting by Exercise, and Cynthia Rowley's Facial Magic. It's hard to guess in advance which program a person will like best. I'd recommend doing one for a year, and then experimenting with a couple others, each in turn. My favorite is FlexEffect, but I mix in a handful of exercises from other programs.

HTH Smile

free skin care · Sun Jan 29, 2012 12:07 pm

Nonie aka AD wrote:

RyanA wrote:

I am curious to know which facial exercise program you would recommend if you could have started while you were younger, before you had any problems-for prevention and maintenance only? I have read some have said to not do resistance training when you're young, some have said don't start until you see problems, some have said it made them look worse, etc.

I started doing some of the Facercise exercises from the Ultimate DVD. There are a few I'm not going to do, like the forehead one. I'm just curious if there are any other programs I should look into?

Hi RyanA I started face exercises when I had nothing wrong with my face. I was 20 and just liked the idea of "never getting old"--that's what I believe the exercises would do for one: stop the aging process.

The program I did for 15 years was Eva Fraser's program from her 1991 book and I had beautiful tone and no problems whatsoever all the way to my mid-30's. In fact, without even meaning to or aware it was happening, I went from having hooded eyelids to having eyes that don't give a hint of ever having had droopy eyelids. If I hadn't been intrigued about another program and caused problems in my own face that it seemed Eva's couldn't undo, I probably would still be doing Eva's program. I mean just looking at Eva in her 80's tells me that hers is a program that could've seen me all the way to old age w/o any problems. *sigh*

Hi Nonie,

I just started Eva Frasers program which it seems not many in here are doing. When did you start to see a progress? I don't have wrinkles yet, but my nasio-labio folds are getting more pronounced.

free skin care · Sun Jan 29, 2012 1:09 pm

Sidmo wrote:

Nonie aka AD wrote:

RyanA wrote:

I am curious to know which facial exercise program you would recommend if you could have started while you were younger, before you had any problems-for prevention and maintenance only? I have read some have said to not do resistance training when you're young, some have said don't start until you see problems, some have said it made them look worse, etc.

I started doing some of the Facercise exercises from the Ultimate DVD. There are a few I'm not going to do, like the forehead one. I'm just curious if there are any other programs I should look into?

Hi RyanA I started face exercises when I had nothing wrong with my face. I was 20 and just liked the idea of "never getting old"--that's what I believe the exercises would do for one: stop the aging process.

The program I did for 15 years was Eva Fraser's program from her 1991 book and I had beautiful tone and no problems whatsoever all the way to my mid-30's. In fact, without even meaning to or aware it was happening, I went from having hooded eyelids to having eyes that don't give a hint of ever having had droopy eyelids. If I hadn't been intrigued about another program and caused problems in my own face that it seemed Eva's couldn't undo, I probably would still be doing Eva's program. I mean just looking at Eva in her 80's tells me that hers is a program that could've seen me all the way to old age w/o any problems. *sigh*

Hi Nonie,

I just started Eva Frasers program which it seems not many in here are doing. When did you start to see a progress? I don't have wrinkles yet, but my nasio-labio folds are getting more pronounced.

Hi Sidmo:

As I stated, I started it when I didn't have any problems so I wasn't really looking for "progress". I honestly just did it the way someone who's into jogging goes jogging every day just because it feels good to be doing something healthy, helps relieve stress and just makes them feel good. I didn't have a problem with my face at all. I didn't even know that my hooded eyelids were not a good thing. For me I was doing Eva's program so that I can keep that face (Coz that's what I believed her program was going to do.) Of course deep inside I knew aging would continue, but just the thought that I could look toned like Eva did on the cover of her book while in my 50's was so exciting to me that I was just planting a seed I could harvest later like Eva.

So any changes that were taking place (like improvement in tone) were so gradual that I personally didn't witness or know anything was happening. A few weeks after I started the program, I did start to feel my cheeks when I smiled. They were firm and I was very aware of smiling against muscle. In my twenties, when my friends would say I had big eyes, I wondered if face exercises had anything to do with it, but I also suspected it might just be how I was made. I kid you not, I never knew my eyes were changing. I got so used to seeing my new eyes which happened so gradually that I was blind to the change, but then I came across the FE website, I read a place where Deb said that face exercises can lift hooded lids. That got me wondering if I was just lucky to have the eyes I had or if my eyes had ever been different befor face exercise. That's when I looked at a photo of my eyes at 20 when I started Eva and to my surprise my eyes were hooded

and as you can see^^ one couldn't see my upper eyelids like you could see them these days. This pic below was taken either at the end of 2003 or the beginning of 2004 (I had just learned that grooming eyebrows is something people did LOL and took this pic to record my improved art of drawing in eyebrows but it really captures how different my eyes were after years of Eva):

Below is side-by-side comparison of my lower face before I started Eva (1991) and then my lower face after 15 years of doing Eva on and off (July 2005). I should also mention that Eva's program has bonus exercises and I did do the face slimmer one because I didn't care much for my round face (neither did my brother for his) and we both managed to create the defined look you see in the after pic that makes me look like I have high cheekbones. But I didn't do those bonus exercises until I'd done years of just the main program:

Sidmo are you doing it from the DVD or the book? If book, do you know what edition book you have? IMO the 1991 edition is a must-have for her program. It's what I worked from and I've seen the newer books but I just felt like they were missing something and I've heard the same thing from others. Plus I also believe doing Beginner's program for a long time before moving on to the Intermediate is better than rushing through to the later programs. I think it allows your muscles to get really good tone and be better prepared for the advanced program. I've heard people say that Eva's program didn't really cut it for them, and I suspect it's because they didn't give each part of the program time to actually effect a change before moving on to the next level.

Because Eva looks so good and because she started with the version of the program I did (and that schedule) and because I too had such a good experience with it, I really believe in the tried and true original...er...classic program that the author started with which is in the first book. So if you can get the book (I believe only online second-hand sellers have it and I've seen it going for pennies), just for reference or if you can just get to read it from cover to cover in a library, then I think it's well worth it.

free skin care · Sun Jan 29, 2012 2:22 pm

Thank you for the responses, Nonie and CM.

Nonie, what do you think of CFF as a program just for prevention? There was another thread here, I don't remember which one, where a woman (I believe in her 20's) said her face got worse with CFF.

free skin care · Sun Jan 29, 2012 3:11 pm

RyanA wrote:

Thank you for the responses, Nonie and CM.

Nonie, what do you think of CFF as a program just for prevention? There was another thread here, I don't remember which one, where a woman (I believe in her 20's) said her face got worse with CFF.

Hi RyanA, while in my case I started CFF to fix a problem not for prevention, I have had nothing but good results with the program and because maintenance of results achieved is a signature of the program--judging from my experience and Carolyn's own photos over the last 5 years--one would assume that if there's nothing to be fixed then maintainance is the effect one gets from the program which would mean it'd be a good preventative program.

The above paragraph is just from logic reasoning not from experience. As you know, I started CFF when I had years of training behind me so in my case preventative measures started way before CFF, but while that was the case too when I started FE, it just so happens I had good results with CFF and not good with FE. So if I were to speak from experience, I'd say that if you were someone with 15 years of Eva Laughing

, then CFF would be the program to choose.

Since I cannot speak from experience as far as preventative measures are concerned w/r/t CFF, I can tell you that TheresaCats is one EDS member who had a bad experience with CFF. I think she was in her 30's but her face could've passed for that of someone in her 20's and she didn't like the changes that happened when she stared the program. She contacted Carolyn about her problems and at first she was not happy with the response she got. But after contacting Carolyn again, she later posted that she was happy with the changes she was getting since Carolyn made changes to her routine. So if you want firsthand info from one with a young face who's doing CFF perhaps you could PM this member to find out how she's doing as it might help you decide whether CFF is the one for you. From what I understand Carolyn has a program that doesn't use resistance in the works and those exercises are what she gave TheresaCats. IMO non-resistance exercises are really what young folks should do so I was excited to hear that there's such a thing in the works.

I must stress to you that part of my success with CFF I believe is because I stayed in touch with Carolyn from the very beginning--and clearly keeping in touch with Carolyn did help TheresaCats. When I started CFF, I was so scared of anymore damage that I sent Carolyn photos when I was starting the program and then regularly sent her updates just so she could help me understand changes that were happening but also confirm that everything was coming along nicely. From what I've observed, everyone who keeps in touch with Carolyn is happy with the program, so if you decided to do CFF, I'd implore you to first have a discussion with Carolyn and only do the program if you feel comfortable with it from what you learn, before you invest in it. My belief is, depending on the sort of tone and fullness you have now, what exercises your face needs will matter. Some will disagree with this opinion and that's OK but I do think my 20 years of experience both good and bad give me some confidence in speaking on this and I've also confirmed this with others who found out the same the hard way. So having someone guide you so you do the right exercises for your particular needs IMO is very important and I know you that you'll get that one-on-one attention with Carolyn.

But before you decide, do contact the trainers of whatever programs you are considering and get a feel for what each program will offer. Also use your eyes and make sure that whatever program you do, the results others doing it got are the ones you want for yourself. Most importantly listen to that quiet voice inside that warns us against making wrong decisions and go with what FEELS right. And if you start a program and something in it feels wrong, ask, ask, ask questions and don't do it until you get a very good reason why it's good to do or until you see evidence of there being truth to what you're being told and you instincts feel right about.

Just know that whatever program you pick, chances are there are many doing it on this forum so you will be able to get support and reviews and hopefully see photos, if you have any questions or qualms about the program you choose.

free skin care · Sun Jan 29, 2012 3:11 pm

RyanA wrote:

Thank you for the responses, Nonie and CM.

Nonie, what do you think of CFF as a program just for prevention? There was another thread here, I don't remember which one, where a woman (I believe in her 20's) said her face got worse with CFF.

Thank you so much for the response! Yes, I got the 1991 version of eBay. I just reached the intermediate plus after 6 weeks of doing the first three.I not et ready to move on to the lifetime program yet. I don't see any difference, but love the feeling of exercising the face. Although Eva says that you must sit in front of a mirror, I find it easier to do when not in front of a mirror. I can feel my face muscles better.

Sorry for hijacking the thread... Smile

free skin care · Mon Jan 30, 2012 9:40 am

Thanks Nonie, I believe you are right, it was TheresaCats who I was thinking of.

I suppose I will keep doing Facercise for right now, even though I'm not sure I "get" all of the exercises just yet. But I am fascinated by all of the different programs and options. I suppose I should give my chosen program a fair shot before moving on to something else.

free skin care · Mon Jan 30, 2012 2:14 pm

RyanA wrote:

Thanks Nonie, I believe you are right, it was TheresaCats who I was thinking of.

I suppose I will keep doing Facercise for right now, even though I'm not sure I "get" all of the exercises just yet. But I am fascinated by all of the different programs and options. I suppose I should give my chosen program a fair shot before moving on to something else.

You're welcome, Ryan. I have a friend in her 50's who's been doing Maggio for years and she looks amazing. Aprile, a member here, is another example of how well Facercise works. I suspect patience maybe an ingredient necessary in order for results of face exercises to materialize. So I think you are wise to stick to what you're working with and give it time. Since Aprile is a long time Facerciser, maybe you can send her a PM with questions or post them in the thread on the program. She's very generous with info and I am sure she'll be able to give you some encouragement.

Sidmo Yay! at finding the book. I wish you every success with it. The team at Eva Fraser's camp are helpful too if you have any questions and so you can always email them if something doesn't make sense, but I found the book to be very clear and since you already have the DVD (right?) you should have an even easier time than I did. I find all the info she has written there so helpful, plus the glossier pages are also more fun to look at. Smile

free skin care · Wed Feb 01, 2012 11:29 am

Nonie aka AD wrote:

RyanA wrote:

Thanks Nonie, I believe you are right, it was TheresaCats who I was thinking of.

I suppose I will keep doing Facercise for right now, even though I'm not sure I "get" all of the exercises just yet. But I am fascinated by all of the different programs and options. I suppose I should give my chosen program a fair shot before moving on to something else.

You're welcome, Ryan. I have a friend in her 50's who's been doing Maggio for years and she looks amazing. Aprile, a member here, is another example of how well Facercise works. I suspect patience maybe an ingredient necessary in order for results of face exercises to materialize. So I think you are wise to stick to what you're working with and give it time. Since Aprile is a long time Facerciser, maybe you can send her a PM with questions or post them in the thread on the program. She's very generous with info and I am sure she'll be able to give you some encouragement.

Sidmo Yay! at finding the book. I wish you every success with it. The team at Eva Fraser's camp are helpful too if you have any questions and so you can always email them if something doesn't make sense, but I found the book to be very clear and since you already have the DVD (right?) you should have an even easier time than I did. I find all the info she has written there so helpful, plus the glossier pages are also more fun to look at. Smile

I just have the book for now. I wanted to see if the program was for me. But I think I will get the DVD. Its difficult to know if you are doing it right, when using the book only. I'm also thinking to make an appointment with Eva next time I´m in London Smile

free skin care · Wed Feb 01, 2012 10:33 pm

Nonie,

I'm confused, you said you did something to your face that couldn't be undone with Eva's program.......what did you mean by that exactly?

Thu Feb 16, 2012 10:06 am

I have to say honestly hand on heart, having started after my 30th birthday if I had time again I don't think I would have touched facial exercises with a barge pole because to me they are more trouble then they are worth. Maybe if you have lots of issues and problems they are good but if you're just wanting to maintain what you got they seem to cause more problems. I found that out the hard way and would seriously say to anyone who is in the similar shoes to avoid them at all costs. Sorry to be negative about them but got to share my experience!

free skin care · Thu Feb 16, 2012 11:31 am

You're going to find some people who have amazing experiences with facial exercises and some people who have bad experiences, and everything inbetween. It seems to me, though, that the majority of people have positive experiences with facial exercises in the long-term...regardless of age. However, some of these people who have had positive experiences had rocky starts until they figured out what worked best for them.

free skin care · Thu Feb 16, 2012 11:33 am

cm5597 wrote:

You're going to find some people who have amazing experiences with facial exercises and some people who have bad experiences, and everything inbetween. It seems to me, though, that the majority of people have positive experiences with facial exercises in the long-term...regardless of age. However, some of these people who have had positive experiences had rocky starts until they figured out what worked best for them.

What kind of problems?

Fri Feb 17, 2012 5:28 am

You're going to find some people who have amazing experiences with facial exercises and some people who have bad experiences, and everything inbetween. It seems to me, though, that the majority of people have positive experiences with facial exercises in the long-term...regardless of age. However, some of these people who have had positive experiences had rocky starts until they figured out what worked best for them.

You're obviously a year older than me, and have been doing them for some time - do you have photos you could share?

cm5597 wrote:

You're going to find some people who have amazing experiences with facial exercises and some people who have bad experiences, and everything inbetween. It seems to me, though, that the majority of people have positive experiences with facial exercises in the long-term...regardless of age. However, some of these people who have had positive experiences had rocky starts until they figured out what worked best for them.

Fri Feb 17, 2012 5:30 am

For me I think they aged my eyes, and have to say it was doing resistance exercises and I have come to the conclusion that if your goal is to maintain what you have, then resistance exercises should be avoided. I've not found any proof that they do good despite several programs promoting that people of any age should do them - and I've written them several times asking for proof but never get any response.

What happened in my case, is the lower lids kind of got deep set and hollowed and created a little dip, whereas prior to them, my lower lids were full and not dipped.

Sidmo wrote:

What kind of problems?

free skin care · Fri Feb 17, 2012 8:15 am

Sidmo wrote:

cm5597 wrote:

You're going to find some people who have amazing experiences with facial exercises and some people who have bad experiences, and everything inbetween. It seems to me, though, that the majority of people have positive experiences with facial exercises in the long-term...regardless of age. However, some of these people who have had positive experiences had rocky starts until they figured out what worked best for them.

What kind of problems?

Some people overbuild their mouth ("chimp mouth"), or their brow ("Neanderthal look"), or find that doing the "Crush" exercise from Ageless or "Cheek Press" exercise from FlexEffect sucks in their lower cheeks more than they want. So it takes a while of trial and error to figure out how to tailor things.

free skin care · Fri Feb 17, 2012 8:29 am

Sorry, I don't post photos of myself online, nor post any personal info online (no Facebook, etc.) for family privacy reasons.

However, there are other people of our age or on the younger side who are able to share photos showing improvement. For example:

* http://www.flexeffect.com/TwinklesBA.htm
* http://www.flexeffect.com/DeniBA.htm
* http://www.carolynsfacialfitness.com/maria
* http://www.flexeffect.com/beforeafter2.htm

Olympia also started training in her 30's, and here she is at 42:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZx1PHLrz40
I don't see any damage on her face, and I think she looks several years younger than her age. Sean (the trainer) has also been training since his mid-twenties, and he looks terrific.

Similarly, there is Claudia and Audrey, who have been training for like 20 years and started around college age, I think, have images of themselves here:
http://flexeffect.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=4149
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ih3VpSOeJPc

I've also seen a 2-3 progress photos of younger people who have posted progress photos on the FlexEffect workshop forum, but that's a private forum and most people want to keep their photos private, so I cannot repost them here. For example, Lister on the FlexEffect workshop forum has built her cheeks beautifully and, just this week, wrote a post raving about how much FlexEffect has helped her to change her cheeks for the better, and she is a year younger than me.

Conversely, do you have images of yourself or of others around our age or who are the younger side who have sustained *long-term* damage?

free skin care · Fri Feb 17, 2012 8:35 am

TheresaCats my heart goes out to you and you have been unlucky in your results but please believe me when I say I’ve worked with many many people younger than yourself using resistance training and they’ve not had the same results as you – far from it. When starting out young, as you were, the goals are different as you say rightly so, in that your not trying to undo years of damage, so its always better to seek advice from the program creator about that. I can honestly say with things like overbuilding or so called “awkward” stages (which is a term we all hate now as in the past it was used to describe one thing and its been completely blown out of proportion in much the same way as “uglies” has.

When anyone starts out – no matter what their age, they will always find some muscles very responsive and wanting to play from the get go, and some less responsive and not wanting to play at all. This is partly due to neglect of the muscles and just general muscle health and so is understandable. This is why its important to begin a balanced program that’s going to work all the muscles, to enable the individual or user to correct any imbalances but also to strengthen their whole face. No two people will respond identically to any one exercise (in much the same way as no two individuals will respond identically to any body exercise) out there and that’s for a wide variety of reasons but some examples are fast/slow twitch muscle fibres ratios (our muscles that comprise of high twitch fast muscle fibres are usually the ones that respond within a very short space of time in comparison against our slow twitch ones). The other thing is the mind/muscle ability to contract and hold that contraction – and I’ve lovingly termed this in the past mind/body connection but realise for some when they’ve heard me use that term acquaint it with metaphysical terms and that’s not really the best indicator. However using resistance training you can improve all of these factors.

I don’t have photos I can show you or share, and funnily enough all the young people when they start out tell me that if it works they’ll tell all their friends, and yet when it starts working it becomes their little secret and I’ve no idea why this is or how to change it, and I always plead with them for photos but ca la vie. Now the eyes themselves are a conversational topic that’s multi-layered and when hollows appear it can be for a variety of factors. One area that I often look at when people begin any sort of resistance training is at their diets, and its not uncommon to find someone with a fantastic text book diet begin a resistance training program without making any changes to their diet and have what seems like adverse results simply because they’re robbing their body of the much needed nutrients and rest the body needs to recuperate and well in my experience the facial muscles are no different in that comparison.

CM’s correct in that some people will overbuild in various areas, and she gives the example of two popular programs but I can say I’ve worked with people who have used a wide variety of resistance facial programs out there and seemingly so called “adverse results” are possible with any program that uses resistance. What I’ve seen many times is people’s cheeks build very quickly (as there are ¾ muscles in that very area) which we end to engage somewhat (without resistance) in our everyday lives from eating, chewing and smiling etc and their cheeks build up and lift out, but the lower lid is often weak for people and doesn’t respond at that same speed also. This is why at FlexEffect we really do pride ourselves on this forum, because we can guide you through working out whats best/right for you depending on your goals and starting point. Its of course possible to do so on your own, but I always like things to be simple and straightforward and I’m all for an easy life – so tell people to make use of the forum as there’s many trainers who are willing to help you there and even experienced flexers (like CM) who can give you guidance.

free skin care · Fri Feb 17, 2012 9:05 am

Two more points:

One, I totally recognize that some people do not have good responses that they are happy with. So I'm not negating your experience, and in fact, I think it's really important that both good and bad experiences are discussed.

However, I just strongly react when people categorically say that because something didn't work for them, it wouldn't work for anyone else. I think the spirit of the EDS forum is to recognize that one thing may work well for some and not for others--for whatever the reasons. This is why I think it's important to acknowledge both good and bad results that people have had.

Nonie aka AD wrote:

Since I cannot speak from experience as far as preventative measures are concerned w/r/t CFF, I can tell you that TheresaCats is one EDS member who had a bad experience with CFF. I think she was in her 30's but her face could've passed for that of someone in her 20's and she didn't like the changes that happened when she stared the program. She contacted Carolyn about her problems and at first she was not happy with the response she got. But after contacting Carolyn again, she later posted that she was happy with the changes she was getting since Carolyn made changes to her routine. So if you want firsthand info from one with a young face who's doing CFF perhaps you could PM this member to find out how she's doing as it might help you decide whether CFF is the one for you. From what I understand Carolyn has a program that doesn't use resistance in the works and those exercises are what she gave TheresaCats. IMO non-resistance exercises are really what young folks should do so I was excited to hear that there's such a thing in the works.

Also, to get some clarification here, you say "having started after my 30th birthday if I had time again I don't think I would have touched facial exercises with a barge pole because to me they are more trouble then they are worth...would seriously say to anyone who is in the similar shoes to avoid them at all costs". You also say above very clearly that facial exercises ruined your eyes. So why does your story (that you have a negative experience and currently don't recommend facial exercises at all to young people) and Nonie's story (that you are now happy with facial exercises) contradict each other?

Also, just a 3 weeks ago or so, Nonie claimed to have pictures of you and of your "great results" with facial exercise, but you have never said the same. Why did Nonie offer to share your pictures, but you have not?? And why did Nonie call them "great results", if you are currently saying your eyes look bad?

Please forgive my skepticism.

Fri Feb 17, 2012 9:13 am

Ok, well that’s fine re photos, but your examples are actually great indicators of what I’m talking about (exception is Maria).

If you look at Twinkles, she is young, but there is no real changes in her photos other than in the before photo its shiny and in the after photo its not so, but the real crux for me is if you look at the After Photo her lower lids are much more prominent and not as smooth as the before photos and it looks like the lower eyes have hollowed moreso. That’s exactly what happened to me. You can even see dark circles in her after photo and I’m not sure if she was doing a resistance program, but that mirrors what happened to me, doing a resistance program and then having hollows develop. She kind of had them at the start and whilst they’ve not filled out they’re still there which again makes me wonder how effective resistance exercises are for young people without issues. When I started, I didn't have them at all.

Likewise Denise to me isn’t such a great example. She’s all made up in the first photo and stripped of makeup completely and its only a few months but there is not real changes evident and to be honest I think if you do a before and after photo they need to be same quality/consistency and these just arent. I know of Maria and that example has been pointed to me before, but that is the only exception I’ve seen where someone started resistance exercises and had good results and to me whats more visible is her posture changed moreso than her face and this of course changed her neck and jawline.

The photos of Andrea though are frightening not encouraging. Yes in her before photos she has bags, but that could be very much from having a night out on the town. Also is Andrea still flexing – as that photo looks like it was done some time ago.

In fact looking at that website there are no recent photos they all look like they were taken some years ago and I’m wondering if that program is so good why is there no recent photos? Olympia does look good in that video, but if she is still training why is there no recent photos of her now. Does she still visit the forum and does she have more recent photos? Sorry I know you don' do their website but its criticism I have heard and never really seen a good explanation of even down to Deb and having more recent shots?

Sean do you have any more recent photos that one on the website looks out of date, and to me I have to say its not the best advert for a trainer of a facial exercise program, as your face is tilted and not looking completely full on at the camera, your lower lids look a bit puffy to me when I blow up the photo and you’re dressed old. How old are you?

Ive kept photos of myself for my own purposes and have shared them with the program owner I am using and you can clearly see there are marked differences between before I began facial exercise and now.

Theresa

free skin care · Fri Feb 17, 2012 9:27 am

TheresaCats wrote:

I've kept photos of myself for my own purposes and have shared them with the program owner I am using and you can clearly see there are marked differences between before I began facial exercise and now.

Then how did Nonie get her hands on your photos and why was she willing to share them, but you refuse to post them here?

TheresaCats wrote:

Ok, well that’s fine re photos, but your examples are actually great indicators of what I’m talking about (exception is Maria).

If you look at Twinkles, she is young, but there is no real changes in her photos other than in the before photo its shiny and in the after photo its not so, but the real crux for me is if you look at the After Photo her lower lids are much more prominent and not as smooth as the before photos and it looks like the lower eyes have hollowed moreso. That’s exactly what happened to me. You can even see dark circles in her after photo and I’m not sure if she was doing a resistance program, but that mirrors what happened to me, doing a resistance program and then having hollows develop. She kind of had them at the start and whilst they’ve not filled out they’re still there which again makes me wonder how effective resistance exercises are for young people without issues. When I started, I didn't have them at all.

Likewise Denise to me isn’t such a great example. She’s all made up in the first photo and stripped of makeup completely and its only a few months but there is not real changes evident and to be honest I think if you do a before and after photo they need to be same quality/consistency and these just arent. I know of Maria and that example has been pointed to me before, but that is the only exception I’ve seen where someone started resistance exercises and had good results and to me whats more visible is her posture changed moreso than her face and this of course changed her neck and jawline.

The photos of Andrea though are frightening not encouraging. Yes in her before photos she has bags, but that could be very much from having a night out on the town. Also is Andrea still flexing – as that photo looks like it was done some time ago.

In fact looking at that website there are no recent photos they all look like they were taken some years ago and I’m wondering if that program is so good why is there no recent photos? Olympia does look good in that video, but if she is still training why is there no recent photos of her now. Does she still visit the forum and does she have more recent photos? Sorry I know you don' do their website but its criticism I have heard and never really seen a good explanation of even down to Deb and having more recent shots?

Sean do you have any more recent photos that one on the website looks out of date, and to me I have to say its not the best advert for a trainer of a facial exercise program, as your face is tilted and not looking completely full on at the camera, your lower lids look a bit puffy to me when I blow up the photo and you’re dressed old. How old are you?

Ive kept photos of myself for my own purposes and have shared them with the program owner I am using and you can clearly see there are marked differences between before I began facial exercise and now.

Theresa

The dead giveaway is to contradict yourself and then to attack every single photo or person from FlexEffect except spare the one from CFF; interestingly, the photo from CFF has the women clearly grimacing in the "before" photo, and hence is the photo that most people would naturally be the most skeptical of, not the least skeptical of. Fortunately, virtually all other people will be able to see the improvement (if not in all photos, at least in some).

This is just to alert others as to what is really going on here... I'm going to try to avoid spending any more time on this...but at least people can now see the clear evidence of purposeful, fabricated attacks on FE.

Fri Feb 17, 2012 9:34 am

Happy to clear up. I spoke with Nonie when I first posted on EDS to share my story and unhappiness about results. I haven’t spoken to Nonie for a long time now, not for any particular reason just not had time. We also exchanged emails and she was incredibly helpful to me in recommending things to try out like Tom Haggerty's eye exercises and they did have some improvement but not complete ones and I shared my photos with her for comment.

For me, I was encouraged to come to EDS to share my story after speaking about it on a UK forum by someone and was really at my wits end and was desperate as I hated the changes I saw and was getting no improvement. I had only done one program. When I posted messages from many people came through to me and then began observing things all over the place where people my age had posted to say they had similar results or findings that resistance training wasn’t for them. Only ever exception I found (which Nonie sent me details of interestingly as well as you was Maria).

I am more than happy to be proved wrong but so far I’ve not found anything really showing me that young people can do resistance exercises without things getting worse. Its not to say I don’t believe face exercises can’t help if you need to fix sag etc – there are hundreds of photos and stories out there showing it can and does, but for young people of say 30 (and below I have to say), there isn’t much proof out there. Everything is hearsay really.

What Nonie says re results being good is true, when I started out I had been 30 for a few months, and my eyes showed the hollows right away and I emailed Carolyn and shared photos with her showing but my cheeks and neck firmed up nicely my upper lids changed nicely and so on. Initially Carolyn's advice was to rest, and I followed it completely. Then I had to email her photos showing there was no change. It really wasn’t until I posted here that Carolyn got back in contact with some isometric style exercises that did begin helping to undo some of the damage, but the damage hasn’t completely been undone and whilst I’m doing one thing still that Carolyn suggested with a hope of getting back my eyes – again I told Carolyn that I don’t think younger people should be doing resistance exercises and she has shared that she is working on a special program for younger people not using resistance which mirrors my thinking that I am correct.

I’m not doing CFF (and am getting advice from Carolyn regularly with regard to my eyes and am in regular correspondence with her with a view to undoing this stuff). I do sincerely believe young people should avoid them for sure – but Nonie is wrong I’m not happy with facial exercises at all.

My results that I achieved with facial exercises were that my cheeks got very firm and noticeably and my face looked rosier but my eyes got worse. Nonie never offered to share my photos with anyone from what I’m aware – but I did send her photos as she was helping me out when I posted about my problem (something I’m always going to be appreciative of her doing) because I know if it wasn’t for her I would have given up for sure. Were they great results, sure in that my lips and cheeks responded and did look noticeably different but my eyes responded and looked noticeably worse.

Nonie was the first person who came forward when I posted in distress – and no one from FlexEffect did (which I was glad as I don’t buy into the whole FE cult status that seems to go on).

Theresa

free skin care · Fri Feb 17, 2012 10:06 am

FWIW, in particular, Andrea's photos also show a very dramatic reduction in undereye wrinkles and in hooding:

Wow, look at that lift and reduction in hooding!!

And I really like Denise's photos! She goes from having wrinkles under her eyes that are evident even with make-up covering them to them almost gone and no make-up in the after picture. You can really see it in her left eye, which goes from two wrinkles to none, and in the reduction in hooding over her eyes:

http://www.flexeffect.com/Denise.jpg

(sorry the photo is huge!)

And also, the nice thing about Twinkles photos is that you can the hollows under her eyes are beginning to fill in after 3 months:

So there are some publicly available photos out there showing improvement in the eye area (and in the face) in younger folks. Smile

Not that everyone always has a positive experience, but many do.

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