Fascia Manipulation: A Sustainable Alternative to Botox

Let’s put this straight that this article is not about Botox-bashing. People who’ve chosen Botox surely had their own reasons and may still stand by them. But we will discuss here some techniques that are almost as good as an injectable alternative, and many people could have chosen those if they knew earlier.

Skin ageing happens when with age, the blood’s nutrients face a drop and its circulation doesn’t affect the skin as much as a young blood’s circulation could.

Sustainable skin care practices focus on releasing the blockages in muscles, fascia and skin etc., if any, that may be causing tension or hurting an optimum circulation. If followed ardently, some techniques can revive the skin and give it a fresher, plumper makeover with no or very few fine lines or other signs of stress.

Let’s see how…

Foam Roll

This trick is a self-administered myofascial release, which intends to relax the tension we keep holding up in fascia layer. That is a layer of connective tissues under skin. The lift and tone of the skin are direct results of blood and lymph circulation in this layer.

Foam rolling is a popular Gym trick to relieve tension in one’s legs or body caused by hours of workout. Gentle foam rolling on one’s face does the same magic.

The areas with maximum stress spots are:

Neck Tension

Neck is the highway for all things facial. All the circulation to and from the face must pass through the neck, thus making its skin work more than the skin elsewhere. But only a little attention on this area can go a long way in relieving a big chunk of puffiness, complexion, and tension in jaws.

Scalp Tension

Scalp is no less than an extension of the face itself. All the blood and lymph that cross the neck to hit the face, go way up to the scalp as well. That makes it equally vulnerable to all the tensions and reliefs that work for the face.

The jaw muscles are attached to the area around the ears, while the Forehead runs through the hairline and becomes the head. That is why just a casual massage for the scalp releases half the tension of our face. Add to that the advantages of healthy circulation to the scalp and thus healthy follicles.

DIY Fascia Massage

Foremost, any acne-affected areas must not be exposed to this massage. Just a few drops of facial oil of your liking will give enough support for the hands’ easy slip and glide. Also, try and feel a slight stretch in the skin as the massage proceeds. This easing of the skin will indicate how relaxed the fascia muscles have become. Also, remember to do it all with a focused self-love.

– Run your hands in small circular motion through neck, shoulders, jaw, temples and scalp. This free-form massage will help you identify the arras that feel tight and need more attention.

– Begin with a gentle massage of the neck, front and back, to ward off half the tension already. Be gentler at the front of the neck because the skin is softer.

– Start at the forehead; glide out to the temples with medium pressure. Do it a few times till the skin begins to feel softer.

– Go down part by part, from cheeks to nose, chin and neck etc. The only motion to remember is that one hand must support the center of the face, and the other hand must work outwards.

– Pause mid-way and analyze, or even compare the done and undone parts of the face. Does the skin feel suppler, shinier and healthier on the areas you’ve massaged already?

Make this a regular practice, and watch your face thank you with time.