Have you looked in the mirror lately and thought your face looks a little fuller than usual?
It’s possible for people to gain weight in their face, just as much as it is to carry some extra pounds around their waist line or on their hips and thighs.
For some, the facial weight increase is so slight it’s something only they could possibly notice. But for others, it can mean their cheeks look fuller or they develop a double chin.
Face fat can be frustrating and potentially impact confidence, as we can’t really cover our faces up; it’s the one thing that’s always on show. If you can understand why it happens, then you’re part of the way to helping get rid of it.
What causes face fat?
As with our bodies, putting weight on in our faces is caused by a build-up of fat deposits.
This excess fat is usually caused by overall weight gain, which is typically linked to one or more of these factors – poor diet, lack of exercise, ageing or genetic conditions. Facial bloating is another face fat culprit, and tends to fluctuate from day-to-day. 1
So, we’ve covered the main reasons why we tend to get face fat, but how can we shift it? Because you don’t just simply have to live with it, there are some things you can do to help slim down the fat from your cheeks, your jowls or underneath your chin and neck. Let’s take a look at some of them…
Exercises to lose face fat
Yes, that’s right. It’s possible to exercise your facial fat away, just as you would work off your body fat, only the exercises are a little bit different!
Exercising your face tones your facial muscles, which then helps make your face look slimmer. And, believe it or not, there are a few facial exercises out there, although there is limited evidence to back up the effectiveness of face fat workouts.2
Here’s an exercise you can easily try right away – it’s said to be able to tone up 40+ facial muscles:
- Tone the muscles around your mouth – by saying ‘X’ and ‘O’ in a row. This makes your facial muscles contract and move. Do this exercise daily, repeating it as many times as you like.
- Tone your cheek muscles – by making a fish face by sucking in your cheeks. Repeat 20 times every day for positive results.
- Get all your facial muscles working – by opening your mouth widely and roundly. Hold the position for 5 seconds and relax. Repeat up to 30 times over a day.
- You can also – fill your mouth with air, so that your face looks fat and round. Keep your lips closed, move the air in your mouth from side to side. Do this for 5 minutes a day.
- Have a facial massage – they enhance oxygen and blood circulation, which helps tighten your skin.3
How to lose face fat quickly
Now, that is a challenge! As with most forms of exercise, the more you work at slimming your face, the more you potentially may be able to get rid of the extra weight you’re looking to lose.
You may want to just stick to the facial exercises, or you may want to go full throttle by incorporating lots of other face fat-busting practices into your life too. They include:
-
- Doing cardio – several studies have found cardiovascular exercise can promote fat burning and increase fat loss. Ideally, you need to do around 20 to 40 minutes of cardio a day4
- Drinking more water – because when you’re dehydrated, your body (and your face) tends to retain water, and therefore become bloated. Upping your water intake can help hydrate your face and body and prevent water retention5
- Resting more – when we don’t sleep, it can sometimes show in our faces, e.g. dark circles and puffiness around the eyes. Getting eight hours of sleep a night is what you’re aiming for6
- Examining your diet – to make sure you’re not suffering from any food allergies intolerances, which can cause facial bloating. Overall, bloating is a common indicator of gluten sensitivity and digestive disorders7
- Skipping the salt – too much sodium can cause fluid retention, which can then cause swelling and puffiness in your face and other areas8
- Cutting back on alcohol – due to the fact it’s high in calories and low in nutrients, and therefore can cause us to put on weight on our body and our face9
- Facial rollering – there’s a whole load of facial ‘depuffing tools’ that you can use, such as jade rollers, to speed up lymphatic drainage, improve circulation and, last but not least, de-puff your face10
- Using natural face masks – face masks made from natural ingredients that hydrate and improve the skin’s natural elasticity can also help. Applying a mask made from milk, which is nutritious for skin, and honey, which can help tone and tighten it, can potentially prove beneficial for reducing the appearance of facial fat and toxins that can cause bloating11
We hope you’re able to use the advice above to identify the best way to lose face fat for you. In the meantime, for more practical insight on beating facial fullness, check out this article, ‘How to reduce puffiness on your face.’
Last Updated: 13th October 2020
Sources:
1 https://www.fatherly.com/health-science/doctor-explains-why-your-face-is-fat/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CExcess%20facial%20fat%20typically%20occurs,puffy%20face%20or%20chubby%20jowls.
2 https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/lose-fat-in-face-cheeks#TOC_TITLE_HDR_2
3 https://www.goodtoknow.co.uk/wellbeing/lose-weight-in-face-524275
4 https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/lose-fat-in-face-cheeks#TOC_TITLE_HDR_3
5 https://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/a19984973/how-to-lose-weight-in-your-face/
6 https://greatist.com/health/how-to-lose-face-fat#sleep
7 https://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/a19984973/how-to-lose-weight-in-your-face/
8 https://greatist.com/health/how-to-lose-face-fat#less-salt
9 https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/lose-fat-in-face-cheeks#TOC_TITLE_HDR_5
10 https://www.byrdie.com/how-to-lose-face-fat-4795838
11 https://brightside.me/inspiration-health/13-things-that-can-reduce-face-and-neck-fat-say-goodbye-to-the-double-chin-795027/
