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Archived Newsletters 2009-06-23 FACIAL AND SCALP EXERCISES Exercise routine for relaxation The beauty care we give the face and scalp helps to keep the skin clear and the hair healthy, but we need to supplement this by exercising facial and scalp muscles. We exercise our facial muscles almost every waking moment of the day, but this exercise is not necessarily the most beneficial. Just as movements of the body muscles can result in strain, habitual movements of the face can lead to tense areas, giving rise to headaches and other painful symptoms. This can be helped by certain exercise routines. Relaxation is the key. Lie down flat on your back, without a pillow, listening to some soothing music. Close your eyes and concentrate on feeling your facial and scalp muscles. Try to let your neck and jaw go completely slack. The most common areas of tension are at the back of the neck, just where the spine ends; the jaw muscles below the ear; and the centre point between your eyes. If you use your eyes for close work or a great deal of reading, you may also locate tension in the tiny muscles around the eyes, notably at the outer edges. If this tension becomes severe, accompanied by frequent headaches, it may be advisable to consult your doctor or optician. Even people in good health suffer from strain in the facial region, especially when under stress. And though you may not be aware of it, you probably have some small mannerism such as a constant frown or rapid eye movement vyhlchcan lead the muscles to be set into a rigid pattern which encourages wrinkli'Js. A.shortexercise routine performed eY~.ry.day for about ten minutes can be beneficial. Start with relaxation techniques, such as sitting comfortably but with your spine straight, and letting your head hang down from the nape of the neck. Slowly turn your head in a circle from right to left, then from left to right. Let your head hang down so that your chin reaches the chest, then lift it back so that your chin points upwards. Repeat several times. To exercise your facial muscles, sit in front of a mirror. Begin by toning the eyebrow muscles. Lift your eyebrows upwards as far as they can go, then relax and repeat. Follow by knitting the brows together, then releasing them. At each point, it is very important to relax the muscles between tensing them. Your eye muscles can be exercised by first closing the eyes for a few seconds, concentrating on complete freedom from tension. Then screW up the eyes tightly, relax and repeat a few times. Follow by rolling the eyeballs first right and then left, then up and down and finally in a full circle, trying to keep your head still and looking ahead. Next, the mouth and jaw muscles: relaxing your neck, open your mouth as wide as possible, then slowly close it. Then, keeping lips together, stretch your mouth at the sides, relax, repeat. Purse your lips together as if making an '0' then relaxing them. Massage as exercise Massage is an important and simple way to tone the face and scalp. When applying cleanser or soap, massage by placing the cleansing substance on the fingertips and gently stroking it in, always using upwards or circular movements. Start from the chin, working upwards towards the cheekbones; move from the nostrils to the bridge of the nose; stroke outwards from below the eyes towards the hairline above your ears; and move in two circles, one made with each hand, from the centre to the upper edge of the eyebrows. Massage your neck with upward movements starting at the nape and moving round to the area under the chin. Massage your. scalp whenever you wash your hair. Using. your fingertips, gently work from the top of the spine towards the crown of your head, moving in small circles. Work back downwards in the same way towards the ears, then follow this by massaging the front of the head. Finish by spraying lukewarm water on the scalp. Taken from The Marshall Cavendish A – Z GUIDE IN WEEKLY PARTS - DOCTOR’S ANSWERS – LIVE BETTER NATURALLY - PART 28, FACIAL AND SCALP EXERCISES, Page 776. (Sorry - Due to the urgency of education on this site, spelling will be corrected at a later stage….All photos in the script have been left out) |
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