Facial massage – why you need it, secret techniques and expert advice

According to experts, facial massage, if performed regularly or undergo a course of procedures, can significantly improve the appearance, rejuvenate and increase the level of tissue health. Such physiotherapy procedures are used as a substitute for external care cosmetics or in addition to them. A course of facial massage can eliminate the need for minimally invasive cosmetic procedures. The journalists of the online edition decided to find out what is the use of massage, what are the indications and contraindications, the techniques of execution, where it is better to carry out the procedures – at home or in the salon. You will find answers to all these and many other questions in this article.

What are the benefits of facial massage

Massage of any part of the body is a classic procedure that, if there are no contraindications, can bring many benefits. A mild physical effect on the skin, muscles, ligaments, blood vessels can not only optimize the condition and function of tissues, but also significantly improve overall health, mood, and help get rid of headaches. And also to eliminate the feeling of discomfort and eye fatigue.

Benefits of facial massage if performed regularly:

1. Normalization of blood circulation and lymph movement.

2. Stabilization of metabolic processes.

3. Increased oxygen supply to the epidermis.

4. Effective delivery of nutrients to the deep layers of the dermis.

5. Stimulating the processes of epidermis restoration.

6. Activation of your own production of collagen and elastin, restoration of elasticity and turgor of the skin.

7. Alignment of the relief of the epidermis, the surface of the face becomes smoother, fine wrinkles disappear. Deep wrinkles become less pronounced.

8. Strengthening blood vessels in the face, neck and upper chest.

9. Normalization of the water balance of the skin of the face, reduction of dryness of the epidermis.

10. Narrowing pores and normalizing the activity of the sebaceous glands, eliminating acne and pimples.

11. Normalization of complexion, elimination of grayness and yellowness, pigmentation. The skin looks fresh, rested, glowing from the inside out.

12. Reducing puffiness, eliminating bags under the eyes.

13. Reducing the degree of sagging skin.

14. Decrease in increased muscle tone.

15. Reducing the amount of body fat in the face.

Obviously, facial massage is designed to solve aesthetic imperfections of the skin, as well as to eliminate some physiological disorders. If you have the problems listed in the list, do not rush to carry out peels, botulinum therapy, biorevitalization, contouring or other micro-invasive cosmetic procedures. You can take a course of massage and get no less effect without the need to interfere with the structure of tissues.

Rules and techniques of facial massage, performance features

Regardless of which massage technique will be used, during the procedure, you need to follow simple rules:

1. The masseur's hands, as well as the client's facial skin, must be clean. Make-up is removed, you can additionally do a light superficial scrubbing, which will rid the dermis of dead cells. It is advisable to additionally carry out disinfection. Also, professional massage therapists and cosmetologists should have short, well-groomed nails with hygienic manicure, and there should be no rings, chains and other jewelry on their hands. Fulfillment of the latter condition will avoid the likelihood of injury to the client's skin.

2. Patient hair should be tucked under a bandage or a special cap so that it does not fall on the face area.

3. The session is held in a calm atmosphere in silence or to relaxing pleasant music.

4. The client should be in a comfortable position, that is, in a horizontal or semi-seated position.

5. During the procedure, you should not talk, laugh or in any other way strain the facial muscles.

6. Facial massage is almost never done 'dry'. In order for the masseur's fingers to glide smoothly and smoothly over the skin, as well as to provide additional nutrition to the epidermis, various 'lubricating' preparations are used. These can be essential oils or their compositions, conventional moisturizers or specialized massage products.

Classical technique

Classical massage is a procedure that you can easily perform at home for yourself or for your mother or friend. This is a gentle technique that does not require special qualifications and experience, which helps to improve the function and appearance of the skin, maintains the dermis in good shape and prevents the development of aging processes.

The stroking movements are performed with the fingertips, which must be guided along the massage lines in this way:

1. From the chin area to the extreme points of the lower jaw.

2. From the incision of the lips to the lower part of the auricles – to the lobes.

3. From the wings and middle of the nose to the ears and temples.

4. From the cheekbones and apples of the cheeks to the area of ​​the temples (we do circular movements).

5. From the bridge of the nose up to the hairline and in both directions (draw the letter T).

6. From the inner corners of the lower eyelids to the temples.

7. From the inner corners of the upper eyelids, under the eyebrow and towards the temples.

The massage procedure begins with stroking, then the pressure becomes more intense, turning into rubbing. The pressure of the fingers on the skin should be minimal, the patient should not experience discomfort and, moreover, pain.

After working out all the massage lines, the master conducts rhythmic patting of the skin with the pads of his fingers. The whole procedure takes approximately 15-20 minutes.

Additional facial massage techniques that can be performed by a master in the salon or at home

There are several more facial massage techniques that are not recommended for use on their own, but that a beautician can perform in the clinic:

1. Facial massage according to Akhabadze. Antonina Akhabadze is a physician, candidate of sciences, who invented an improved method of physiotherapy. This technique involves treating the skin and subcutaneous tissue with the pads of several fingers at the same time.

2. Massage technique N. Kim. The author of the method is a doctor and founder of his own school. Kim's technique involves a complex of manipulations and techniques that contribute to a deeper and more powerful effect on tissues. With this technique, you can not only rejuvenate the face, but also remove congestion in the lymphatic system.

3. Pinch massage. Despite the fact that it is widely believed that the use of this technique causes pain or very unpleasant sensations, there is no need to be afraid to do a pinch massage from a qualified specialist. The intensity of the pinching increases gradually, the patient gradually adapts and does not experience significant discomfort. And the effectiveness of this technique is higher than that of classical massage.

4. Vacuum massage. This technique involves the use of special devices with suction cups that gently affect the skin, muscles and other tissues of the face.

There are other techniques, facial massage techniques, many of them are copyright or innovative, others are aimed at solving specific problems. In order to choose the most suitable procedure, tell the beautician or massage therapist what exactly bothers you, what defects you would like to get rid of.

How often to massage your face.

If there are no contraindications for facial massage, then you can carry out a cosmetic procedure every day. The optimal time for a massage is in the evening, one to two hours before going to bed. The frequency of such procedures depends on several factors, including:

1. Age – the older a person is, the more often he is recommended to do massage.

2. The severity of aesthetic defects. If the condition of the skin and other tissues of the face is unsatisfactory, then massage should be done more often than usual. Experts recommend undergoing several courses of therapeutic procedures, which are carried out for one to two months every few days.

3. Season. In winter, the skin needs more support than in the warm season. Therefore, if in the summer you do a facial massage once or twice a week, then in the winter you will devote more time to this process. That is, increase the frequency of therapy to three to four times a week.

4. Availability of free time and desire to spend it on carrying out such procedures. If you are busy, there is no time to often carry out therapeutic procedures, then you can do a facial massage on Saturday evening or Sunday evening once a week.

In general, in order to get a lasting, pronounced effect of facial massage, it is recommended to take courses of procedures or carry them out on their own 2-3 times a year. One course should consist of 10-15 massage sessions. These are, of course, approximate figures. Only a beautician or masseur can say exactly how often massage should be done and how long the course should last, after a consultation, as well as a detailed diagnosis of the condition of facial tissues.

Where is it better to do a facial massage – the choice between home procedures and sessions in the clinic

If you want to take a course of facial massage, it will be useful for you to learn about the advantages and disadvantages of self-execution or visiting a salon.

Self-massage at home has the following advantages:

1. You do not spend money on the services of a master, that is, you save about 500-2000 rubles on each procedure.

2. No need to sign up for a massage therapist's queue, adjust to his schedule, waste time on the way to the salon.

3. You can massage anytime, anywhere, with as many treatments and as often as you like.

There are also disadvantages to self-massage of the face. First, you cannot be sure of the effectiveness of the procedures, since you do not have a specialized education. But you can still try. Secondly, non-compliance with safety measures or massage techniques can lead to complications. For example, if the massage is not done along the massage lines, you can stretch the skin and get additional wrinkles, creases on its surface.

In addition to the cost and the need to go to the salon, massage in the salon at the master has no drawbacks. The effectiveness of physiotherapy will be noticeable after the first session. As the following procedures are carried out, positive changes will go faster, reaching a maximum towards the end of the course of therapy. If you don't have enough free money to visit a beauty salon or clinic, find a master who is ready to work from home – at home or at your place. There are many sites on the Internet, including independent forums, where people share their impressions of cooperation with this or that master, leave reviews and recommendations, post 'before' and 'after' photos, indicate prices and provide contacts of reliable masseurs. Therefore, you will definitely find a master who owns the massage technique you need, works from home and whose cost of work is completely satisfactory to you.

Contraindications to face massage

Cosmetological massage of the facial area in most cases is prescribed for women over the age of 35-40 years with the aim of:

1. Eliminate the symptoms of aging of the epidermis.

2. Braking or preventing subsequent age-related changes.

3. General improvement and improvement of appearance.

4. Also, massage can be performed on younger women aged 20-25 if they have problems such as acne, acne or facial scars.

Massaging the face area undoubtedly benefits the body, but only if you have no contraindications. Most of them are relative and can be eliminated. The procedure should not be carried out without first consulting a doctor in the following cases:

1. Within 10-14 days after any intervention in the facial tissue (peelings of various depths, mechanical resurfacing of the upper layer of the dermis, the introduction of Botox, etc.).

2. Feeling unwell, weakness, fever, and other signs of illness or malaise.

3. Exacerbation of chronic diseases.

4. Oncological diseases.

5. Diseases of the blood, which are accompanied by disorders of its coagulability.

6. The presence of any damage on the skin of the face – wounds, abrasions, deep scratches, bruises, dermatitis, burns.

7. Presence on the skin in the area of ​​exposure to foci of infectious and inflammatory diseases or allergic rashes.

8. Severe acne in the treatment area.

9. The presence of neoplasms on the face that can be potentially malignant.

10. Increased or decreased intracranial pressure.

11. Hernia (or other degenerative diseases) of the cervical spine.

12. The presence of a vascular network on the surface of the skin, which indicates a violation of the state of small blood capillaries. And also with increased fragility of the capillaries.

13. Intolerance to the procedure.

This is a list of the main contraindications for facial massage. You can learn more about the reasons that may impede carrying out such a procedure at an appointment with a therapist or cosmetologist, dermatologist.

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