
Wrinkles that begin to show up around your mid-20s are oftentimes expression lines (technically called dynamic wrinkles) rather than age-related creases. Some common expression wrinkles include the “11s” between the brows, crow’s feet around the eyes, and smile lines.
These lines prove that you feel emotions and, in many cases, that you smile often (which is a good thing). However, this constant tension can take a toll on your skin over time. To relax your facial muscles (and your mind), look to facial massage. To follow, a few A+ methods to try out from a traditional Chinese medicine expert:
1.
For the “11s” wrinkles.
The “11s” generally appear because you’re squinting or focusing quite often. It’s not easy to break that habit, but with intentional facial massage, you just might be able to smooth those etchings.
“With regular practice, we can really begin to soften these lines,” acupuncturist, herbalist, traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, and founder of Lanshin Sandra Chiu L.Ac., MSTCM, explains in this Instagram video. “Even better, all of this stroking helps to relax your nervous system; and being relaxed is the key to softening lines.”
Advertisement
This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.
2.
For crow’s-feet eye wrinkles.
Next up, we have crow’s feet. You know, those tiny wrinkles that show up on the side of your eyes when you smile. Chiu takes a holistic approach to ease these kind of wrinkles, working on the entire eye area rather than just the wrinkled spots–here’s how she does it.
Advertisement
This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.
3.
For smile lines.
“Nasolabial folds tend to be caused less by chronic facial muscle tension and more from loss of volume in the mid-face,” Chiu tells mbg. However, that volume loss comes naturally with age (due to a lack of collagen production). While you can’t always control facial volume, adding the following facial massage technique can help lift the face and ease the appearance of smile lines–if you’re consistent with your practice, that is:
Advertisement
This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.
The takeaway.
There’s nothing wrong with expression wrinkles, but giving yourself a relaxing facial massage may help ease your mind and release tension in the face. While your hands are certainly great tools to use, you can invest in a gua sha as well–here’s a list of our top choices if you’re in the market.
Advertisement
This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.