Facial Toning

Facial toning is a type of cosmetic procedure which promises to alter facial contours and reduce wrinkles, sagging and expression marks on the face and skin by means of increasing muscle tone, tonus and facial volume by promoting muscular hypertrophy, and preventing muscle loss due to aging. Facial toning and exercise is therefore in part a technique to achieve facial rejuvenation.

Facial toning achieves this by performing facial muscle exercising. There are two types of facial toning exercises:

• Active exercising. In this, the user performs a repetition of voluntary contractions of certain facial muscle groups, using a mirror. This category can be further sub divided into yoga facial exercises, gentle spa facial massage exercises, facial exercise using gadgets or the hands to add tension and less aggressive holistic "handsfree" exercises.
• Passive exercising by direct skeletal muscle electrostimulation. In this, flat metal electrodes smeared with a conductive gel are affixed to certain points in the face and an electrostimulation divide is used to generate waveforms which promote facial muscle contractions.

Although theoretically possible and endorsed by many devotees, the effectiveness of facial toning techniques are difficult to evaluate and prove scientifically. As these muscles are not prime movers, like any internal muscle additional resistance cannot be added, so the muscles will not grow or gain much strength. However, it is not solely an endurance and active flexibility exercise as the muscles are stressed as in an isometric hold. Additionally the skin "glows" post exercise as with normal body exercise.

Facial toning may not only be beneficial as a means of remaining looking youthful from the additional oxygen and nutrients supplied by the blood reaching reaching the facial tissues but may also positively affect the functions of the sensory organs, (the eye, ears, nose and tongue) from increased stimulation of the neural pathways within the cranial nerve of the human brain that affect the sensory systems. Medically facial exercise is endorsed and encouraged by physicians to aid in recovery from Bell’s palsy and other facial nerve paralysis caused by a stroke or trauma and post rhytidectomy surgery. The extra stimulus strengthens the neural pathways within the brain to improve facial nerve function and consequently the muscles to pull up the face. For the past 49 years in The People's Republic of China eye exercises are have been compulsory twice daily in schools to combat myopia.

EMS machines may be dangerous in the case of particularly strong electrical stimulation near the eyes. Chronic pain, delayed onset muscle soreness, neuritis and facial distortions and asymmetry may ensue. Another alternative to facial toning by electrostimulation is the use of ultrasound waves to stimulate the body's own regenerative process, produce collagen and tighten the skin, although its results have yet to be verified.