Can strength training tighten facial skin?

There is currently no clear evidence-based medical evidence to prove that strength training can directly tighten facial skin, but among people who have insisted on systematic strength training for a long time, many people have indeed observed positive changes in a tighter facial condition. There is still no unified conclusion on this topic, and the opinions of practitioners in different fields are quite different.

I used to know a 38-year-old sister who lost 20 pounds through dieting in the early years. She was two sizes too small, but her face was very slumped, her tear troughs and nasolabial folds were protruding, and she looked four or five years older than her actual age. Later, after eight months of strength training with a coach, her body fat dropped steadily from 32% to 24%, and her muscle mass increased by 4 kilograms. When we met again, her overall condition improved. Her face was indeed much tighter, and the sagging bags at the corners of her mouth were much flatter. When we chatted privately, we also said that this is more effective than buying anti-aging creams worth thousands of dollars. If the supporting structure of the face is compared to a tent, collagen and elastic fibers are the tent cloth, facial muscles and fascia are the scaffolding, and subcutaneous fat is the filled cotton wool. What strength training can actually adjust is the basic state of the entire body - after the muscle mass increases, the whole body The fascial tension of the body will be increased, and the fascia of the face will be more stable. In addition, people who train regularly will rarely have body fat fluctuate, and they will not repeatedly pull the skin to loosen the "tent cloth". Naturally, the contours will look clearer and the condition will be tighter.

But when I accompanied my friend to the dermatology department to see acne marks, I specifically asked the doctor this question, and the doctor's attitude was quite disapproving. He said that the core causes of facial skin laxity are the loss of collagen in the dermis, the breakage of elastic fibers, and the pull of gravity all year round. These problems cannot be solved by training the muscles of the limbs. Many people feel that their face is tight after training, either because exercise accelerates circulation and eliminates edema temporarily, or because the contours become clearer after body fat is reduced, which is not the same thing as the firmness of the skin itself.

It’s true that not everyone can see the effect of tightening their face after practicing strength. I used to know a young man in the gym who was preparing for a competition. In order to look good on stage, he applied fat to less than 10% of his body fat. The muscles on his body were so clear that they could be drawn, but his face was sunken. His temples and apple muscles were deflated, and he looked much more shabby than when his body fat was 18%. He even complained that if he had known better, he would fill in hyaluronic acid before preparing for the competition, so that he would not have to take photos and rely on P-face. There are also many people who believe in "facial strength training" and follow the facial exercises of winking and winking. I tried it out of curiosity for half a month, and the nasolabial folds have not faded. Instead, there are two more dynamic lines at the corners of my eyes. After checking the information, I found out that repeated exaggerated expressions will pull the elastic fibers of the skin, making it easier to develop wrinkles, which is not worth the gain.

To put it bluntly, if your own "facial sag" is caused by poor work and rest, edema, high and low body fat, and low muscle mass, then insist on regular strength training three or four times a week, keep up with your diet and don't go on a blind diet, and you will most likely see an improvement in your facial condition.； But if you already have obvious static lines and clear skin sagging, and you hope to solve the problem by lifting weights, it is better to find a professional dermatologist for a facial evaluation. After all, lifting weights is not a panacea, no matter how good you are.