Buccal Massage Is The Weird Yet Relaxing Technique That Can Help Sculpt Your Face Without Needles
The idea of anyone other than your dentist sticking their gloved hands in your mouth might be too much to handle. Having fingers line your gums during a massage sounds too ridiculous to be true. However, it's part of a massage technique that relaxes and sculpts your face.
Many people choose to invest in facial massages for relaxation and aesthetics. They can help to increase circulation in your face, brighten your complexion, and treat acne struggles. Of course, buccal massages are unique since the goal is to massage muscles inside the mouth and shape your jawline.
A facialist and massage therapist in London, Guendalina Gennari, explained to InStyle that buccal massages are also referred to as "intraoral massages" done inside the mouth. Since many people live in a chronically stressed state, they tend to hold a lot of tension in their mouth and jaw area. Not only can a buccal massage release this tension, but it can help reduce headaches while also brightening your skin and promoting lymphatic drainage.
The results speak for themselves
Adding gua sha stones and facial tools to your daily skincare routine to create a snatched jawline and relieve swelling in the face is a popular tactic on social media and is deemed necessary. However, experts say that the buccal massage is unmatched when it comes to results. If you want the appearance of a facelift without having surgery, it's the way to go.
The buccal area is actually the inner lining of your lips and cheeks, just below your cheekbones. When you go in for your facial massage, the gloved worker will have you open your mouth, and they will place their pointer fingers inside your cheeks and use their thumbs to massage the outside. After a series of pushing, pulling, and stretching, the muscles in your face will begin to relax, and the tension will melt away.
While there are many benefits of giving yourself a facial massage, it's hard to beat going to a professional and being able to fully relax during the process. Beyond this massage feeling great, it will leave you with tighter-looking skin, lifted cheekbones, and a sculpted jawline.
Why use hands instead of facial tools?
If you think a buccal massage's results sound great but question the approach, you're not alone. Sticking hands in your mouth and calling it a facial is an odd concept. However, there is a reason that fingers work better than jade rollers or other items you could purchase.
Experts in the sculpting massage approach to facials explain that the power comes from the hands because manual tension release allows you to feel the face and navigate all of the muscles. Therefore, you can better understand how tense these muscles are and which side of the face may be carrying more stress. While one of the touted benefits of this massage is a more youthful appearance, it is also symbolic of a "less stressed" appearance. As we age, we tend to carry more stress and tension in our faces.
While the results of a buccal massage aren't permanent, they can be maintained by reducing the overall stress you're carrying and continuing with the occasional buccal massage. If going in for a facial isn't something you can swing twice a month, practicing these techniques on yourself at home can still provide amazing benefits.