Things you can do at home to fight off old age

Oct 28, 2008 14:21 GMT  ·  By

Most women believe that only expensive cosmetic products, or even more expensive plastic surgery, can really return good results in their constant fight against old age and its most infamous ally, wrinkles. As it turns out, there are plenty of other things, little things they can do in the privacy of their own home and which, to cap it all off, don’t even cost a thing to achieve awesome results. One of them is facial exercises – they cost nothing, require very little time, and are said to do wonders for one’s skin.

 

Facial muscles are constantly being put to use, be it for laughing, frowning, or simply when talking. Experts have it that we use them for at least 15 hours a day, so it's only natural that there must be something we can do to stop old age from rearing its ugly head too soon. However, we shouldn’t imagine that facial exercises (or facial fitness, as it’s called these days) are anything like what we do (or should be doing) at the gym – they require neither special “equipment,” nor special training.

 

Aside from the “fitness” sessions that we can take up with specialists (15-minute long sessions under medical observation, where the exercises are performed by a cosmetician or a doctor), there are some things that we can also do at home to keep wrinkles at bay. They usually imply a lot of moisturizer and gentle massages of the face, avoiding downward movements, as they can lead to sagging in time. Do not overdo it and avoid making the mistake of thinking that, if you press really hard and make ample movements, the effects will be longer lasting – or more obvious, for that matter –, because experts say the exact opposite will happen.

 

Another great facial exercise that simply can’t be stressed enough is laughing. Not only does a smile or a genuine laugh create a state of wellbeing and overall positive thinking, but it is also believed to help some muscles relax, while toning the skin, by eliminating the traces of all the other expressions that we use on a constant basis.

 

Of course, there are several other types of facial exercises that are being now widely circulated in the media but, since experts warn that some of them can actually do more damage than good if not performed properly, it’s best if you just consult a doctor before taking any of them up. If that’s not an option for you, for one reason or another, just remember to smile all your problems away, signs of old age included.