Workout for your face might sound impossible and unrealistic, however, experts say it is possible and the activity comes with a lot of health benefits.

Facial exercise can involve massage, or breathing techniques, aimed at relaxing facial features and toning up muscles. When practiced regularly, it’s believed that it helps to prevent and slow the ageing process.

Vincent Rwamamara, a Kigali-based physiotherapist, says when it comes to facial muscles, one should think about them the same way they think about other muscles, and keeping them in shape is crucial.

As people age, the physiotherapist explains that they tend to lose volume in the face.

"The layer of fat under the skin often thins and slides lower on the face, and exercising might enlarge and strengthen the facial muscles replacing some of this lost volume therefore helping one to pull off a more youthful look,” he says.

He goes on to note that as one ages, all of the muscles lose natural tone and that stimulating facial muscles through exercise can help to restore that tone, and may help to strengthen muscles under the skin.

Private Kamanzi, a nutritionist, says stimulating your facial muscles can help to improve your circulation, leading to younger, firmer-looking skin.

He points out that it’s ideal to know that habits that impact your health also impact your skin. For instance, smoking and alcohol can make your skin appear pale and sallow.

For this reason, he suggests cutting down on alcohol intake and quitting tobacco for optimal skin health.

The nutritionist adds that eating a well-balanced diet of fruits, vegetables and lean meats goes a long way in improving the health of your skin.

He recommends that one should focus on foods rich in antioxidants, vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin E for great skin health. Be sure to also include omega fatty acids, which are found in fish, nuts, and even avocado.

In addition to this, Kamanzi says one should avoid harsh ingredients in some skincare products to keep the skin fresh and healthy.

 "Organics are best, and when you do your facial exercises, be sure to use a lotion recommended by a dermatologist to avoid interfering with your face skin,” he says.

Rwamamara says with age, natural collagen levels decrease. As a result, the skin starts to sag and lose tone, and wrinkles become more pronounced.

"The advantage of facial exercises is that they don’t just stimulate muscles; they also stimulate the production of collagen and elastin.

"By practicing face yoga regularly, one is able to tone up their skin, visibly reduce the depth of wrinkles thus making the face look smoother and less tired,” he says.

Sandrine Twagiramariya, a renowned fitness coach, says when you perform facial exercises, you may feel more relaxed, and that these exercises are good for both the body and mind, as they relax facial muscles while acting on the nervous system, hence reducing stress.

Meanwhile, studies indicate that there are around 50 muscles in the face, but they don’t get a workout every day, this means that they may lose tone prematurely and there is a direct correlation between this loss of tone and skin ageing.

Tips for facial exercises

According to different studies and research, performing face thinning and toning exercises frequently will keep your face looking fit in the long term.

Furthermore, it’s also believed that regular facial muscle exercises improve the blood flow and, thus, supply your skin cells with nutrients leading to a stimulation of skin cell regeneration and prevention of wrinkles.

One way of performing facial exercises is by lying down and ensuring that your hands are clean before touching your face. It’s recommended that one try to do face workouts at the same time every day so you don’t forget.

Place your fingers over each cheekbone, and gently lift the skin until taut.

Also, one should open the mouth to form an elongated "O”, you should feel resistance in your cheek muscles. Hold this for five seconds and complete 10-15 sets.

Experts also warn that one should never pull or tug on the skin aggressively as this may accentuate wrinkles.

Furthermore, it’s also advised to always combine facial exercises with cardiovascular exercises to give your complexion the best possible boost.