A facial massage increases lymphatic drainage and helps eliminate waste, which is important for achieving bright, glowing skin. In addition, it can reduce puffiness and water retention.
It can also help relieve jaw pain caused by chewing, clenching, or grinding. However, for those with oily skin, facial massages should last no more than 20 minutes to avoid over-stimulation.
1. Relieves Stress
Whether you use a gua sha or jade roller, the simple act of massaging your face can help relieve stress. This is because it distracts your brain so that you don’t overthink and ponder about the bad things that happen to you.
It also helps reduce puffiness around the eyes. This is because facial massages increase lymphatic drainage. This allows waste products to be eliminated more quickly, which gives skin a brighter glow.
In addition, facial massage can help prevent jaw pain or headaches caused by clenching your teeth or grinding your jaw. This is because it helps loosen the muscle tension in your jaw. It can also increase blood circulation, which gives your skin a healthier glow. Just remember that, like working out, the results are cumulative and won’t be noticeable overnight. The best way to get the most out of facial massage is to do it daily.
2. Relieves Muscle Tension
Aside from calming the skin, facial massages can help relieve tension in the muscles of the face. This can result in tighter and firmer skin, which looks healthier and more radiant.
The increased blood flow also kick-starts the lymphatic drainage system in the face, which helps to flush out waste and toxins from the cells. Over time, this can reduce puffiness and dark circles around the eyes.
As an added bonus, facial massages can even help relieve jaw pain (also known as temporomandibular disorder, or TMD) caused by chewing, clenching your teeth or grinding them. They can also reduce the stiffness and tightness of the jaw muscles, according to Chu. TMD can cause headaches, earaches and lockjaw.
3. Reduces Acne
Facial massages can reduce acne and other inflammatory conditions by stimulating the lymph nodes under your ears and on the neck. These nodes drain toxins and push waste out of the skin cells, eliminating dullness and revealing brighter, more glowing complexion.
The same circulation boost that helps to smooth away fine lines and wrinkles also stimulates your skin’s natural production of collagen, which makes it more firm and plump. This can help to reduce the appearance of creases, sagging skin, and even a double chin.
You can do facial massages at home with a jade or rose quartz roller, like the one from GRACE & STELLA (which is especially cooling thanks to its mineral makeup). This will encourage blood flow and lymphatic drainage. Just be careful not to pinch or tug at the skin too hard, as this can cause breakage and bruises.
4. Reduces Wrinkles
Most facial massages incorporate a series of techniques that will stimulate collagen production and reduce wrinkles. These include: tapotement (a percussive movement), friction, vibration, and effleurage (a soothing technique that improves circulation).
Another reason face massages are great for the skin is that they decrease puffiness. This is especially helpful when it comes to water retention caused by eating salty foods or when you’re on your menstrual cycle.
To do a DIY facial massage, apply an oil or serum to your face and use your fingers and/or a jade roller to perform strokes all over the face. Remember to always stroke outward, not inward! Stroking inward can weaken the skin, causing premature wrinkles. Instead, stroking outward helps the skin become tighter and stronger. This also helps to prevent dark circles and under-eye puffiness. Lastly, use your thumb pads to gently massage the masseter muscle located in the jaw area.
5. Reduces Puffiness
Many of the popular beauty tools on social media like jade rollers and gua sha promise to reduce puffiness and water retention by stimulating lymphatic flow, sculpt away double chins, and lighten mild scars by helping detoxify skin. While these claims are appealing, dermatologists caution against them as a standalone treatment.
Instead, they recommend facial massages as a way to relax the muscles of the face, boost collagen production, and improve blood circulation, all of which can help to prevent fine lines and wrinkles.
Facial massage can also be used to help ease temporomandibular joint (TMJ) symptoms, such as jaw pain or dysfunction, which may occur due to teeth grinding or chewing, or from stress and anxiety. This can be achieved by gently massaging the soft muscle tissue of the cheeks and neck. A few minutes of daily facial massage will help relieve TMJ discomfort.
6. Brightens Skin
Face massages increase the circulation of the skin, which boosts oxygen levels and helps to create a radiant complexion. This also helps reduce dullness and promotes collagen production, giving the face a firmer look. Visit Encore Medical Rejuvenation to make your dreams come true.
Environmental factors and everyday stress can cause toxins to build-up in the skin, contributing to issues like puffiness and fine lines. Facial massages help to boost blood flow and stimulate lymphatic drainage, which flushes the toxins out of the skin, keeping it healthy and glowing.
To perform a facial massage, start by washing the face. Optionally, apply a face oil for more slip and an added skincare boost (we recommend a blend of jojoba and argan oils). Locate the masseter muscle area by feeling around the cheekbone, at the mid-distance between the ear and mouth. Press and hold this area for about a minute.
7. Reduces Toxins
A facial massage targets the lymph nodes under your ears and on the neck to help drain toxins that can cause dull skin. It also boosts circulation, which helps to deliver oxygen and nutrients to the face that stimulate collagen production.
This can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It can also help to get rid of dark circles around your eyes and reduce puffiness.
There are facial massage tools available to use at home, such as a jade roller or gua sha tool, that can help make the experience even more comforting and relaxing. These devices can be placed in the refrigerator before using to enhance the cooling effect on the skin. However, some dermatologists doubt their efficacy. Whether you are using your fingers or a facial massage tool, always be gentle!
8. Reduces Inflammation
Facial massage, whether done with ice rollers, facial wands or simply your fingertips, can reduce inflammation and increase blood circulation. This boosts collagen production and brightens skin, making it look younger.
It also stimulates the lymph nodes in the face, helping them drain toxins and decrease puffiness (helpful after a salty meal or night out) and softening scar tissue when it forms after an injury. (Massaging the area shouldn’t be done around an open wound.)
For those with acne and rosacea, facial massage can help reduce the inflammation and irritation. It can also help to alleviate sinus pain and congestion caused by allergies, colds and other environmental factors.
9. Increases Blood Circulation
Facial massage increases blood circulation, which boosts collagen production and helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines. It also energizes the skin and encourages it to look more youthful and healthy.
This type of facial massage also helps to drain the lymphatic system, removing toxins from the face and reducing puffiness. It can even help to relieve sinus pressure, headaches and pain.
For this reason, facial massage is often included as part of an anti-aging regimen. Aside from promoting a more youthful and glowing complexion, it can also reduce the appearance of acne scars. It can also lean out excess fat in chubby cheeks and reduce a double chin by tightening the skin and muscles in the neck area.
10. Helps to Relax
If you are facing any tension in the facial muscles, a face massage is just what you need. This helps in relaxing the muscles, removing the toxins and gives you healthy skin with glow and natural brightens your complexion.
In addition, a face massage boosts blood circulation, which helps to improve the delivery of nutrients and oxygen to the skin cells. It also stimulates the production of collagen, which can help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Lastly, a facial massage can also help to relieve jaw pain and headaches. As a physiotherapist, O’Brian says that facial massage can be used as part of a treatment plan for temporomandibular disorder, which is caused by stiff or painful jaw muscles due to chewing, teeth grinding, or other causes. However, he recommends consulting with a health professional for a more comprehensive treatment program.
