What Causes Facial Fat?
While facial fat is a normal part of aging as we lose collagen and elasticity in our skin, certain lifestyle and dietary choices can exacerbate fuller looking facial features. The most common causes that contribute to gaining face fat are:
- Genetics: If your parents or grandparents have prominent jowls, cheeks, or chin, you may be predisposed to it as well due to heredity.
- Weight Gain: Carrying extra pounds all over can cause noticeable rounding of the face. Even 5-10 pounds of overall weight gain reflects prominently in the face.
- Hormonal Changes: Menopause, pregnancy, or polycystic ovarian syndrome bring hormonal fluctuations that alter fat deposition, including on the face.
- Diet: Eating a diet high in refined carbs, sugars, processed foods, and lacking in protein results in more visceral body fat over time including around facial structures.
- Stress: Chronic stress floods the body with cortisol, an underlying culprit behind abdominal and face fat.
- Sleep Issues: Poor sleep quality or insufficient sleep contributes to weight issues and stress both of which can trigger facial fullness over time.
- Excessive Alcohol: Drinking alcohol frequently, especially in larger quantities is linked to weight gain around the jawline and cheeks.
- Aging: As we grow older, facial fat pads increase in size giving the appearance of fuller facial features. Reduced collagen production leads to less firmness.
While genetics determine fat distribution to some extent, making simple diet and lifestyle tweaks along with targeted facial exercises can help reduce excess fat around problem facial areas.
20 Facial Exercises to reduce Face Fat
- Lip Pull
Pucker your lips and hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 10-15 times, 2-3 times a day to target extra fat around mouth. - Chin Lift
Lift your chin upwards and hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 10 times, 2-3 times daily for a slimmer jawline. - Fish Face
Pull the corners of your mouth wide apart in an exaggerated frown. Hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 15 times, 2-3 times daily to lift cheeks and define jaw angle. - Jaw Release
Open your mouth as wide as comfortable without straining and hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 10-15 times, 2-3 times per day to reduce double chin appearance. - Mouthwash
Pretend to swish an imaginary mouthwash in your mouth for 30 seconds. Repeat 2-3 times daily to tone mouth and jowl muscles. - Resting Yoga Poses
Incorporate gentle yoga poses like child’s pose, downward dog, fish pose that use facial muscles passively for 5-10 minutes daily. - Jiva Bandha (Locked Tongue Pose)
Press tongue firmly to the roof of your mouth and hold for 30 seconds. Repeat twice daily for a chiselled jawline. - XO Exercise
Smile wide as you can and hold O shape with lips for 5 seconds. Repeat with puckered X lips 15 times, twice a day. - Hippo’s Jaws
Open your mouth wide sideways like a hippopotamus a few times for 10-15 seconds to reduce cheek puffiness. - Blowing Air
Purse lips and blow air out forcefully. Repeat 3 sets of 15 times each for lifted cheeks and defined jaw angles. - Cheek Puff Exercise
Puff out both cheeks with air and hold for 5 seconds. Release and repeat 15 times twice daily for a slimmer mid-face. - Facial Massage
Gently massage the face using upward circular motions daily for 5 minutes to stimulate lymph drainage and lift facial contours. - Sinha mudra or lion face
Curl lips upwards into a snarl and hold for 30 seconds. Repeat twice daily for slimmer cheeks and jawline. - Tongue rolling
Roll tongue along the roof of your mouth and back down 10 times for a tightened chin and jawline. - Face Stretch
Stretch facial skin gently by pulling cheeks and jaws sideways. Hold for 5 seconds on each side twice daily. - Forehead Smoother
Raise eyebrows as high as possible and hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 10 times twice a day to minimize forehead lines. - Eyebrow Lifter
Lift both eyebrows upwards and hold for 5 seconds. Do it 10 times twice daily for lifted eyes and face contouring. - Cheek Lifter
Pinch cheeks close to lips and hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 10 times twice daily for naturally sculpted cheeks over time. - Double Chin Reducer
Gently press fingers under chin and hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 10 times twice a day for reduced submental fullness. - Jaw Definer
Press fingers at the chin tip and hold gently for 5 seconds. Repeat 10 times 2 times per day for a more defined and toned jawline.
Benefits take 4-8 weeks to appear. Be consistent yet gentle with facial exercises to firm underlying muscles, enable lymph drainage and gradually reduce excess facial fat over time for a naturally sculpted, youthful appearance even without dieting or surgery.
FAQs
1.Can You Reduce Face Fat Without Losing Body Weight?
Yes, it is possible to reduce facial fat and achieve a slimmer face appearance through targeted facial exercises and massages alone even without losing weight overall. Regular facial workouts help drain excess fluids, tighten and tone underlying muscles and lift facial contours over time. However, achieving significant face fat loss may require a calorie-controlled diet as well.
2.Does eating chewing gum reduce face fat?
While chewing gum exercises the muscles in the face, there is no strong evidence that it can directly reduce face fat. However, chewing gum provides minor facial toning benefits and makes you more aware of tension in facial muscles which could help with contouring exercises. But diet control is a more important factor for losing facial adipose tissue.
3.How long does it take to lose face fat?
With consistent facial exercises 2-3 times daily along with a healthy calorie-controlled diet, most people start noticing a slimmer jawline and reduced cheek fullness within 4-8 weeks. Significant face fat loss requiring diet changes may take 2-3 months to become clearly visible. Genetics also influence how rapidly the facial appearance can be contoured.
4.What are some foods to avoid when aiming at a slim face?
Foods like refined carbohydrates, added sugars, processed snack foods, fried items and alcohol are best limited as they can promote overall weight gain manifesting as fuller facial features over time. Foods to ideally minimize include – white bread, cookies, pastries, chips, sugary drinks, desserts, red meat etc.
5.Can facial exercises tone your face?
Yes, regular facial exercises have been shown to tone facial muscles and contour the face appearance naturally over time. Tightening the underlying muscles through targeted workouts helps lift fat deposits and sculpt facial contours visible in the cheeks, jawline and neck areas.
6.Can kids do facial exercises?
Yes, gentle nurturing facial exercises are safe and suitable for school going children above 6 years of age to develop muscle memory and sculpt facial habits from a young age. Exaggerated or aggressive facial expressions should be avoided. Make it fun through games and praise their efforts.
7.Can face yoga exercises help in losing face fat?
Absolutely. Performing mild facial yoga poses, stretches and massage techniques regularly helps in toning, lifting and sculpting facial contours over time by naturally reducing subcutaneous fat in problem areas like cheeks and jowls. It also promotes lymphatic drainage for reducing puffiness.
8.Do face fat exercises work?
Yes, regular moderate facial toning exercises have been clinically proven to effectively reduce face fat and contour the facial appearance when performed consistently 2-3 times daily for at least 4-8 weeks. Underlying muscle tightening, lymphatic drainage and fat mobilization make face exercises a viable non-invasive solution.
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