Part 3 of a 3-Part Series: Non-surgicial Neck Rejuvenation The reason I'm a passionate believer in the value of face and neck exercises is simple. I've seen for myself what a well-rounded facial fitness regime can do. The potential impact of advanced muscle toning techniques on the visible signs of aging isn't hard to grasp. The evidence is all around us. It's there in the firm abdomens and taut, sculpted and limbs of Pilates and yoga devotees. And we've all seen the revitalizing effects of a brisk walk on our own faces. There's no mistaking the vibrant youthful glow that exercise brings to your complexion. All this rejuvenating power can be directly applied to sagging jaw lines and deep facial wrinkles to restore defined contours and smoother, younger-looking skin. The Value of Facial Fitness: The Facts vs. the Myths When the Boston media covered the launch of our salon's From My Neck Up™ exercise program, the participants expressed confidence in the intuitive wisdom of this noninvasive anti-aging option. Although my own clients and other satisfied practitioners can point to remarkable changes achieved by their regular face and neck workouts, many professionals in the mainstream beauty industry remain unconvinced. Naysayers typically come down on one of two sides. One side insists that facial fitness techniques have no anti-aging effects; the other warns that exercising makes lines and wrinkles worse. Both sides contend that radical cosmetic procedures are the only effective solution. Before you decide if that's the case, let's confront the two questions at the heart of the debate about face and neck exercises. Many women see face and neck exercises as a logical extension of their physical fitness routines. – Click on the video below. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9zA5z0eHFo&feature=related 1. Do face and neck exercises work? Generations of women have voted yes. One of the earliest documented success stories is the case of legendary 17th century beauty Ninon de' L'Enclos ("the Woman Who Never Grew Old"). Her ageless beauty and the amazingly youthful faces of countless practitioners since her time have kept this anti-aging tradition going strong for more than 400 years. While critics argue that longstanding popular support is no substitute for statistical evidence, at least one plastic surgeon interviewed about for a newspaper story about From My Neck Up admitted that the reports of positive results are worth looking into. And few physicians, regardless of their specialty, would deny the proven power of muscle strengthening exercises to reverse the underlying causes of aging:

• Thinning skin – Increased blood flow to the skin's dermal layer encourages stronger, more resilient skin.
• Bone and soft tissue atrophy – Restoring muscle mass and rebuilding thinning bones helps restore firm, youthful contours.

2. Do facial fitness routines deepen expression lines or distort your facial anatomy? As long as you use proper technique, any risk of deepening expression lines is completely avoidable. Fears of developing big, bulging face and neck muscles are equally unwarranted. Unless you're taking steroids, muscle growth happens slowly and gradually. And unlike the outcome of plastic surgery, the results of a facial fitness routine are completely reversible and within your control. How can I help? I'll be sharing more tips about face and neck exercises in upcoming posts. If you have a specific problem area you'd like me to address or any questions or concerns about maintaining the total health and beauty of your skin, please add them to our comments section. I look forward to hearing from you!