Poor posture and facial appearance
So many factors are responsible for the appearance of the face that one could easily write a book on this subject. First and foremost, it is influenced by genetics, lifestyle, diet, facial habits, body weight, occlusion, sleeping position... One of the most important elements that determine the facial appearance is the figure, and I will devote this blog post to it.
Facial appearance and posture
If the posture is not correct, this is reflected in the appearance of the face, so good posture is fundamental. The spine is hugely important - it acts as a support organ, an organ of movement and a shield for the spinal cord. You probably don't think about its influence on the appearance of the face, and yet - if its anatomical curves are properly maintained, the face also looks younger. If not, the face can look up to 15 years older! A bent back causes the face to tilt downwards, so that the soft tissues of the face also move downwards. Changes can be seen all over the face, from the forehead to the neck. The skin appears more saggy and the muscles, fatty tissue and also the fascia move downwards at an accelerated rate. As a result of a crooked back, the chest muscles become severely contracted, especially in the neckline and neck area. Tight muscles in the front of the body pull on the muscles in the back and spine, which exacerbates hunching and closing the chest inwards... A great exercise to help relax the chest muscles is to lie on your back on a medicine ball or yoga roller in a position where the chest is open and the arms point to the sides. This is also my way of relaxing!
Don't hump - easy to say....
A hunched posture causes abnormal muscle tension throughout the body, including the head and face. If the back is straight, the occipito-frontalis muscle and the quadriceps adequately tighten the skin on the head. If this is not the case, as a result of inadequate tensions, the skin moves down the face, and an over-tight occipito-frontalis muscle belly not only causes horizontal wrinkles on the forehead, but also pulls the tendon cap and with it the excess skin onto the face. This situation leads to further changes, namely drooping upper eyelids and the corners of the eyes, as well as the formation of bruises and bags under the eyes. To prevent these changes, in addition to exercising and massaging the face, it is important to work on the whole body. This is best done under the guidance of a physiotherapist, yoga teacher or trainer at the gym. However, you can also do a lot yourself. Above all, it is essential to keep your back straight! A good way to do this is to hold your head with the top of it pointing upwards, as if you had a balloon attached to your head. This visualisation helps to position the head correctly.
Tech neck? No, thank you!
An incorrect posture is also responsible for a double chin and neck appearance! Not only hunching over while working, driving a car or walking, but also new technologies have a bad effect on your posture, facial and neck appearance. This phenomenon is called tech neck, which translated would be „technological neck”. This is an adverse effect of staring at mobile devices for long periods of time. A head tilted at a 45-degree angle relaxes the neck muscles, making them more flabby, wrinkles appear on the skin and the chin takes on a double shape, even in slim people. Keep this in mind the next time you reach for an electronic device and change the angle at which you look at the screen, e.g. instead of constantly leaning down, try holding the smartphone facing your face and at eye level. On a day-to-day basis, your neck should be slightly elevated and your head should be in a neutral position without tension or distortion.
How a hands-free kit will help fight wrinkles
Another disastrous habit associated with being constantly on the go is holding up the phone with one arm while talking. Is this a trivial thing to do? No - repetitive contortion strains the neck and neck muscles and can initiate or exacerbate existing facial asymmetry. Need to keep your hands free when you're on the phone? Use headphones or a hands-free kit - you'll be better off and the wrinkles will appear later too!
I also recommend a facial yoga exercise that I call swan neck. To perform it, put your mouth in a pout, stretch your neck upwards, tilt your head back at a 45-degree angle and hold in this position while counting to ten. Turn your head to the left and repeat the exercise, then to the right and do the same. After just two weeks of regular practice, the first results will appear: strengthening of the neck muscles, outlining of the jaw muscles, reduction of the double chin or lifting of the skin on the neck.
Facial appearance and pelvis
How much of an impact a correctly positioned pelvis has on the body is another very broad topic. I'll write more about it next time, but for now I'll just briefly tell you what it's all about. The temporomandibular joints are some of the most complex joints in the entire human body. When they start to fail, a myriad of unpleasant discomforts arise and their treatment is very difficult and sometimes even impossible. One of the factors affecting their condition is precisely the alignment of the pelvis. If, for some reason, the pelvis is crooked, the whole spine also curves to keep the body balanced. Such a condition causes misalignments in the temporomandibular joints and, behind them, a whole avalanche of problems... One of them is abnormal tension in the muscles associated with the cheeks, neck and part of the head. The result is facial asymmetry, strongly defined nasolabial furrows (sometimes stronger on one side), „laughing” wrinkles and overdeveloped masseter muscles that give the face a square shape. In this situation, appropriate body exercises, rehabilitation, body and facial massages are the best solution.
One exercise you can do yourself is to massage the masseter muscles with your hands folded into fists. Arranged in this way, the hand should be pressed firmly against the pre-oiled face just below the temporomandibular joint and moved very slowly in a zigzag motion up to the jawline. Caution - make about ten such fist movements at a time.
All you
If you want to take care of your appearance, you need to look at the whole body. It is a very complex system that works holistically, and it is impossible to look at its individual parts without looking at the others. The youthfulness of the face - contrary to the promises of colourful advertising - will not be given by a miracle cream. It is a complex subject that requires work on many levels. When I meet with my clients, in workshops or one-to-one consultations, I always look at their figures, facial expressions, habits. I ask a lot of questions, talk not only about how they take care of themselves „from the outside”, but also about diet, hydration, sleep, lifestyle. Only by taking a holistic view can I put together a good rejuvenation plan in harmony with nature.