Does face yoga actually work? What four clinical studies show

Study 1: ~3 years younger in 20 weeks

In 2018, dermatologists at Northwestern University published the first controlled study of facial exercise and visible aging in JAMA Dermatology. Women aged 40 to 65 learned 32 facial exercises and practiced them for 30 minutes a day for eight weeks, then every other day until week 20.

Independent dermatologists rated the photos without knowing which were "before" and which were "after". They estimated the women's average age as:

• 50.8 years at the start,
• 49.6 years at week 8,
• 48.1 years at week 20.

Upper and lower cheek fullness also improved significantly. "The exercises enlarge and strengthen the facial muscles, so the face becomes firmer and more toned and shaped like a younger face," said lead author Dr. Murad Alam.

Study 2: more elastic muscles, less held tension

A 2025 clinical trial in Medicina measured what happens inside the muscles. Twelve women aged 45–55 practiced face yoga for eight weeks, with two instructor-led sessions and five home sessions a week. Researchers measured six facial muscles with a device called MyotonPRO:

• Elasticity increased in all six muscles.
• Expression muscles relaxed: tone and stiffness decreased in the forehead, between the brows, around the eyes and around the mouth. These are the areas where we frown, squint and hold stress.
• Supporting muscles got firmer: tone increased in the deeper muscles of the cheeks and under the chin.

In short, face yoga releases tension where it creates lines and strengthens the muscles that give the face its shape.

Study 3: facial muscles respond to training like any other muscle

A 2018 study in Aesthetic Surgery Journal followed 50 women aged 30–63 who did resistance exercises for the face with a small training device, twice a day for eight weeks. Ultrasound showed that the cross-sectional area of the main cheek muscle (zygomaticus major) increased significantly. Wrinkle-severity scores also improved, and participants reported being more satisfied with their jawline.

This study used a device rather than hands-only face yoga. It still confirms a key idea: facial muscles grow and strengthen with regular training, just like the rest of the body.

Study 4: massage can reshape facial contour

A 2025 randomized trial in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology asked 34 women to do a 10-minute facial massage five times a week for eight weeks. Both massage groups showed a significant improvement in facial contour on 3D scans, along with better skin elasticity (+8.6% in one group). You'll find the details in our article on jawline and contour.

What the studies have in common

These are early, small studies. Face yoga isn't a medical treatment, and no study promises the same result for everyone. Still, all four point the same way, and they share three things:

1. A structured program. Participants weren't doing random exercises from the internet. They followed a defined sequence, learned the correct technique and progressed.
2. Regularity. Results came from practice several times a week.
3. Time. The first measurable changes showed up around week 8, and they kept improving through week 20.

"But I don't have 30 minutes a day"

Most people don't. That's the main reason face yoga routines fail. In the 2018 study, only 16 of the 27 women who started finished all 20 weeks.

Consistency is what matters, so the smartest move is to make the practice small enough that you actually keep doing it. GlowUP sessions take 5 to 12 minutes and adapt to your energy on the day, so you keep showing up on busy days too.

Face yoga is a wellness practice, not medical treatment. Results and experiences vary.