the gestures you should take care of

Did you know the symmetry and firmness of your face can be compromised by the number of hours you spend in front of screens and the gestures you make without realizing it? This is what Dr. Jennifer Rodríguez, aesthetic doctor at 360 Clinics, has warned us about, who assures that “posture is a key factoralthough little explored, in facial and body aesthetics”.

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The expert warns that the tendency to tilt the head forward and curve the shoulders causes sagging jaw, premature wrinkles on the neck and an aged appearance. For her part, Stephanie Marin, founder of Work Your Face, remembers that “Postural correction and facial habits greatly influence the appearance of the faceand we often make certain gestures and adopt postures without realizing that they can accentuate aging“. With your help and that of Diana Bordón, creator of the Facial Yoga Plan methodology, we have analyzed some of those gestures. Take note! Are you doing them?

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The gestures that age you without you realizing it

These are some of the aging gestures that Stephanie Marin believes that the general population performs without even realizing it:

• Frown constantly: This gesture is very common when we are focused or under stress and can form deep wrinkles between the eyebrows (called “expression lines”). Practicing a relaxed forehead posture and being aware of when we do it can prevent marking.
• Clenching your jaw or grinding your teeth: Many people have this tension in their jaw, especially when they are anxious or focused. This gesture not only produces tension in the facial muscles, but also shortens the face and can mark lines in the jaw area.
• Sleeping in an unfavorable position: sleep on your stomach or side, with your face pressed against the pillow, can cause sleep lineswhich over time can become permanent. Sleep on your back or use a silk pillowcase can reduce these folds.
• Constantly tilting the head downwards (looking at the cell phone): the posture of looking at the phone, also known as tech neckcauses the neck to be tilted downward for long periods. This can create folds and wrinkles in the neckin addition to contributing to an early double chin.
• Straining your eyes and squinting: This happens a lot if we do not use appropriate glasses or when reading on electronic devices without enough light. Squint generates wrinkles around the eyes (crow’s feet) and can cause these folds to become permanently marked.
• Drinking through a straw or pursing your lips when drinking or smoking: This gesture, especially when done repeatedly, encourages appearance of vertical lines around the lipsknown as “bar code”.
• Holding your face or chin with your hands: Doing it constantly, whether when reading or thinking, can cause pressure on certain areas of the face and contribute to premature wrinkles on the cheeks and jaw.

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Additionally, Diana Bordón adds the following:

• Biting your lips or pressing your mouth: These movements can create lines around the mouth. Keep your lips hydrated to reduce the temptation to bite them, and focus on keeping your mouth relaxed.
• Constantly raising eyebrows: This movement, very common when expressing surprise or interest, generates horizontal lines on the forehead. Try to soften your expressions so as not to draw those lines.
• Wrinkle the nose: some of us do it when laughing or in certain gestures of displeasure, and it contributes to the so-called “rabbit lines” on the sides of the nose. Trying to keep your expression soft when laughing can be helpful.

Paying attention to these gestures and correcting them can help not only avoid early wrinkles, but also maintain a more relaxed and rejuvenated face. The key is to develop awareness of involuntary movements what we do with our face and do facial relaxation exercises regularly.

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Practices to improve facial postural correction

Diana Bordon recommends do facial yoga exercises because it helps to be aware of the movements described, strengthening and relaxing the muscles in the areas of expression. “They are small details, but with great long-term impact“, he defends.

For her part, Dr. Rodríguez advises doing perform regular stretches of the lateral and posterior muscles of the neck, as well as the trapezius. Because it reduces accumulated tension and relieves chronic forward head tilt, which causes sagging in the neck and jaw. Also head elevation and extension exercises lying on your back. This exercise, as he explains to us, “strengthens the neck muscles and prevents sagging of the jaw and chin“. The expert also recommends the use of facial massagers.

To finish, Jennifer Rodríguez sends an encouraging message and that is that “aesthetic medicine is incorporating an innovative approach and preventive treatment that combines postural correction with facial and neck treatments, achieving results that not only beautify but maintain their long-term effect.” So between what you can do on your part and what the experts can do for you , You will surely find the ideal formula to age beautifully without losing the vitality and joy of your expression!

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