There are many people who worry about their expression lines. In this article, we will tell you what causes the lines to form or worsen, and what you can do about them. We will also show you various techniques for facial muscle training, which is an effective way to fight these lines.
What causes lines to form easily?
There are many people who have heard that lines tend to form as we age, but why is that so? First of all, let’s take a look at the specific causes of the formation of lines.
“Sagging cheeks” directly linked to laugh lines
One of the causes of expression lines is sagging cheeks. When the muscles that support the cheeks weaken due to aging and other factors, or when the skin loses its elasticity, the cheeks sag and the lines become fixed.
Sagging cheeks can be caused not only by aging, but also by sudden weight gain or loss. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to sudden weight fluctuations caused by excessive dieting or binge eating.
There is an easy way to check by yourself if your cheeks are sagging. Compare your lines when you are standing and when you are lying on your back. If your lines are more prominent when you are lying on your back, be careful. This is a sign that sagging cheeks are deepening the lines.
“Bad posture” has a major impact on the lines.
Lines can also be aggravated by “bad posture”. The muscles of the face are also affected by the muscles of the neck, collarbones, and the front of the body. Therefore, if you have bad posture, such as a hunched back, rolled shoulders, or a forward neck, the muscles of the face will be pulled downward, causing lines.
Facial muscle training to prevent laugh lines
Lines are often caused by sagging of the cheeks and the muscles. Therefore, facial muscle training is an effective way to combat the lines.
Strengthening the facial muscles and surrounding muscles through muscle training can create a foundation to support the weight and sagging of the skin. In addition, by relaxing the tighened facial muscles, the entire face will regain its elasticity, leading to the relaxation of fine lines.
However, excessive muscle training can be counterproductive, so it is important to do it properly and within a range that is appropriate for you.
4 facial muscle training exercises that you can do in your spare time
There are many easy facial muscle trainings that you can do in your spare time to prevent lines and wrinkles. Here are some simple facial muscle exercises that you can do.
1. “OO” mouth training
First, let’s take a look at a training exercise for making the “OO” sound (as in “good”, or “should”.) This is a training exercise where you open your lips vertically while thrusting them forward to make and hold the “OO” mouth. By making the “OO” mouth, the muscles of the face will gather from the entire face to the mouth area.
Among the muscles, the zygomaticus major is the one that is important in eliminating expression lines, and this “OO” mouth training is effective in improving it. If the cheek muscles are pulled up too much, it will cause the nasolabial fold, so stretching the zygomaticus major muscle will improve the nasolabial fold.
When you make the “OO” mouth, thrust your lips forward so that the inside of your lips is visible, and then turn your upper lip upward, stretching your mouth as far away as possible from the rest of your face. Be aware of the wrinkles around your mouth and cheeks to prevent them from forming.
The proper method is as follows.
1. To ensure proper posture, place your hands on both shoulders and check the position of your shoulders. Breathe slowly and use your hands to check the position.
2. When making the “OO” mouth, adjust your posture so that your body is a little advanced from your shoulders, with your chest out. Try not to move your shoulders. Keeping your hands on your shoulders, stretch your chest so that your arms are facing away from your body, and make the “OO” mouth.
3. Stretch your chest even more and adjust your posture so that not only your chest but also your collarbones are advanced from your shoulders. Make sure to stretch your entire upper body and head, not only forward but also vertically. When doing this, be careful not to hunch over.
Even if you think you have good posture, it is not uncommon to be hunched over. Therefore, until you get used to it, it is best to check your posture in the mirror.
2. Tongue-rotation training
Tongue-rotation exercises the muscles in the mouth by rotating the tongue in the mouth. This focuses on the “orbicularis oris” muscle, so this exercise is effective in reducing expression lines, improving blood circulation, and preventing bad breath.
The specific method is as follows.
1. With your mouth closed, rotate your tongue around inside your mouth. Place the tip of your tongue between your gums and lips, just below your nose, and from there trace your upper and lower gums in a circular motion with your tongue.
2. First, draw a circle clockwise 25 times.
3. Next, draw a circle anticlockwise 25 times.
Initially, it is effective to do two sets of this method per day. Gradually increase the number of repetitions as you get used to it.
3. Keep your smile for 10 seconds.
For the “10-second smile” exercise, raise your cheeks as high as you can and keep your smile for 10 seconds, showing your teeth. It may sound easy, but it often feels hard until you get used to it.
The 10-second smile exercise focuses on the muscles on the corner of your mouth, zygomaticus major and zygomaticus minor, raising your cheeks and strengthening the muscles of the entire face. You can also get the same effect by slightly overdoing the movement of your facial muscles when you talk or smile on a regular basis, not just when doing this exercise.
The method of the 10-second smile is as follows.
1. Open your eyes wide and open your mouth lightly so that your teeth are visible. Then, raise your cheeks as if smiling and hold for 5 to 10 seconds.
2. Make a circle with your index finger and thumb. Do this with both hands and press them against your cheeks. Hold this position for 5 to 10 seconds.
3. Separate your fingers from your cheeks and return your cheeks to their original position little by little, carefully keeping the cheeks at the same height.
4. Correct tongue position
This exercise keeps the tongue in the correct position while also training your facial muscles. If the tongue is not in the correct position, it can distort the face and cause it to sag, which leads to expression lines.
The correct tongue position is when the tongue is broadly touching your upper jaw. The tip of the tongue should barely touch the base of the front teeth.
Conversely, if the tongue does not touch the upper jaw, the tongue may have lowered due to muscle weakness. If this gets worse and the position of the tongue is lowered as a whole, touching the lower front teeth, it will cause various problems, such as dryness of the mouth and sagging of the face.
Just being aware of the correct position of your tongue can make a difference. In addition, exercising the tongue muscles will also fight the sagging of the muscles around the mouth and face, which will help eliminate expression lines.
The muscles of the tongue can be strengthened by speaking quickly. When doing so, be conscious of your tongue and mouth muscles to say sentences difficult to pronounce.
Harmful habits to watch out for in daily life
No matter how hard you work on muscle training, if you have developed bad habits on a daily basis, the effect will diminish. If you have any of the following habits, you need to be careful and gradually improve them.
1. Slouching posture
In a slumped posture, gravity causes the cheeks to sag. In addition, if you have had poor posture for many years, sagging and wrinkles may become fixed, so be aware of your correct posture.
2. Chewing only with one side of your mouth
It is also important to be careful about not chewing your food always on the same side of your mouth. Not only does it make it easier for wrinkles to form around the mouth, it also makes it easier for them to set in due to the imbalance of the face.
The causes of laugh lines are related to daily habits, such as poor posture and the way we eat. Therefore, simply reviewing daily habits can be effective. Sagging cheeks can also be improved through facial muscle training.
For better results, it is also recommended to do this while also using the anti-aging substance NMN, which has been gathering more and more attention in recent years.
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