What is Facial Sculpting and How can I do it Naturally?

Gua Sha, Jade rollers, facials – what is facial sculpting? A dermatologist breaks it down with tips for natural ways to sculpt your face.

The beauty and anti-aging industry is a billion-dollar empire. Everyone is chasing the fountain of youth, including male patients. Male facial sculpting has increased exponentially. Zoom and TikTok have caused many to look for ways to improve their facial contours and get more defined cheeks and sculpted jawlines. 

While many surgical and minimally invasive options are available, we will look into more natural ways to achieve this.

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What is facial sculpting?

Facial sculpting is a way to reshape parts of the face to stave off the signs of aging for as long as possible.  It can improve your facial features by redefining your cheekbones, contouring your chin, or enhancing your jawline.

Several professional facial contouring or sculpting options are available from your dermatologist or plastic surgeon. These include:

• Surgery (facelifts, removal of buccal fat pads)
• Dermal filler injections (cheekbone enhancement or chin augmentation)
• Fat injections, also known as fat grafting or fat transfer
• Botox injections
• Cheek or chin implants
• Facial liposuction (removing fat cells)
• Kybella (remove stubborn fat deposits)
• Devices for fat removal or to tighten skin, such as lasers, ultrasound, and radiofrequency

There have been so many amazing advances that achieve natural results with less recovery time. For the best results, always have a consultation with your doctor to discuss your facial sculpting goals and create an appropriate treatment plan for your skin type.

What are natural ways to sculpt the face?

For those who wish for a more natural approach to facial sculpting, there are some options. The natural options will not deliver the same dramatic results in the same timeframe as professional treatments, but they can help. 

Many patients are not candidates for certain invasive procedures or do not want downtime, so they opt for natural treatments. Be patient and consistent with your self-care, and you will see results.

• Facial exercises/yoga
• Facial massage
• Cupping
• Gua Sha
• Jade roller
• Firming creams
• Facial masks
• Proper nutrition

How can facial exercises/yoga sculpt my face?

Some facial exercises can help lift and sculpt your face. Facial exercising is exaggerated facial expressions that give your facial muscles a workout. They help by exercising and firming the facial muscles to give you a more contoured face.

You can exercise the muscle fibers in your eyebrows to help elevate them, your cheekbones to get a better definition, and your chin to eliminate a double chin. Improving sunken malar areas, will improve overall facial structure and restore balance to the face.

Consistency is key to success.

Can facial massage help sculpt my face?

Facials can help build muscle tone to help lift and sculpt the face giving you a more youthful look. It is based on the principles of building muscle to keep the face from drooping. It increases blood flow to bring oxygen and nutrients to the skin. 

This helps produce more collagen. It also increases lymphatic drainage to remove toxins that damage your skin.

Buccal facial massage can accentuate the cheekbones to give them a more contoured appearance. Facial massage will also help you to relax and destress. Less stress leads to less cortisol production, which is responsible for increased sebum excretion and acne breakouts.

Can facial cupping help contour my face?

Facial cupping utilizes suction cups to stimulate the skin and muscles, increase blood flow, relieve muscle tension, and enhance cellular regeneration. 

The suction cups increase circulation to bring oxygen and nutrients to help repair the skin. Cupping also causes inflammation which triggers cellular repair and production of collagen. 

Facial cupping is different from cupping on the body, which is performed to help with aches and pains. Body cupping leaves bruises, whereas facial cupping does not.

Can facial Gua Sha help improve my face?

Gua Sha is an ancient Chinese technique that utilizes a smooth rounded device, like a stone, to perform muscular scraping. 

This increases blood flow and lymphatic drainage to the face while promoting healing. Not only does it improve complexion by reducing fine lines and wrinkles, but it also can relieve tension headaches, TMJ pain, and sinus pressure.

The stones come in different shapes and sizes to conform to any area of the face or body. The devices are constructed out of various materials depending on the needs of your body. 

Jade stones offer calmness and tranquility, while rose quartz stones deliver anti-inflammatory benefits.

Are jade rollers the same as Gua Sha stones, and how can they help sculpt the face?

Jade rollers, like Gua Sha stones, can increase blood flow and lymphatic drainage to improve the appearance of the skin. 

Like facial massage, they can depuff the face giving you a more sculpted appearance. Jade rollers can also help tighten the face. However, they will not relieve muscle tension like the Gua Sha stones. The ultrasonic pulses in the jade will help calm you.

What can firming creams do for the face?

As their name suggests, firming cream contains ingredients that can help firm up the skin giving it a tighter, more sculpted appearance. The best results are achieved with consistent, daily use of the creams. Here are ingredients to look for when selecting a firming cream.

• Glycolic acid
• Hyaluronic acid
• Cucumber
• Caffeine
• Vitamin E
• Retinoids
• Vitamin C
• Egg whites
• Clay

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Can facial masks help sculpt the face?

Much the same way firming creams help sculpt the face, facial masks consisting of the right ingredients can help too. 

Look for the ingredients listed above when selecting a mask. The benefit of masks over creams is that they allow the ingredients to soak in longer to get better results. You can even use a sleep mask to deliver the ingredients while you are sleeping. You can use masks daily to get maximum benefits.

Can eating properly help my face look more sculpted?

Eating antioxidant-rich foods, like fruits and vegetables, can help the collagen in your skin stay tight. It protects your skin from the damaging effects of the sun, which breaks down collagen. 

Eating less fried foods, sugars, or processed meats help as well. Staying well hydrated with water will help flush out toxins that damage your skin and body. 

It is also necessary to avoid excess alcohol and smoking as they can damage your skin and appearance. 

The Bottom Line

Recent advances in technology have allowed doctors to accomplish amazing things in the cosmetic arena. Many professional treatment options can quickly and effectively sculpt your face, such as Botox, facial implants, and dermal fillers, and give you the desired results. 

These treatments can be costly and have side effects, such as infection at the injection site or scarring. Also, some people may not be candidates for these treatments.

Natural techniques for facial sculpting cannot deliver the same results as professional treatments, but they can help. These techniques include facial cupping, Gua Sha, facial massage, masks, firming creams, jade rollers, and proper nutrition. 

They can be performed at home for a fraction of the cost of professional treatments and with little to no side effects. However, treatment times are longer.

Take Action

If you are starting to notice the signs of aging on your face or want to prevent them, look into some of the natural techniques discussed above. The sooner you start caring for your skin, the longer you will keep your youthful facial appearance.

The best results are the most natural-looking results.  Just remember, flawless skin doesn’t just happen, you have to work at it.

Resources

Carruthers JD, Carruthers A. Facial sculpting and tissue augmentation. Dermatol Surg. 2005 Nov;31(11 Pt 2):1604-12.

Cao H, Li X, Liu J. An updated review of the efficacy of cupping therapy. PLoS One. 2012;7(2):e31793.

D’souza R, Kini A, D’souza H, Shetty N, Shetty O. Enhancing facial aesthetics with muscle retraining exercises-a review. J Clin Diagn Res. 2014 Aug;8(8): ZE09-11.

Hubbard BA, Unger JG, Rohrich RJ. Reversal of skin aging with topical retinoids. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2014 Apr;133(4):481e-490e.

Nielsen A, Knoblauch NT, Dobos GJ, Michalsen A, Kaptchuk TJ. The effect of Gua Sha treatment on the microcirculation of surface tissue: a pilot study in healthy subjects. Explore (NY). 2007 Sep-Oct;3(5):456-66.