Facial resistance training

There are enough bogus 'systems' out there to fill up a blog on an hourly basis. Here's one more: Flex Effect Facial Resistance Training. There is absolutely no way that the claims made by this website are legitimate. Take this before and after for example. Droopy upper eyelid skin can not be corrected by facial exercises. Never.

But, for $1750 you can become a certified facial trainer. Now that's something to put on your resume.

Comments

[Paul H.]

Facial resistance training does help you keep the basic "triangle of youth" by pumping up cheekbones and keeping the jawline defined. It also helps to keep the eye brows from decending. Overall, it gives you a more sculpted, youthful look. However, it has it's limitations. It really doesn't help filling in the hollowness around the eyes that develops with age. It only slightly lessens the appearance of tear troughs (eye bags), and does little to fill in the hollowness above the eyes.
Using Sculptra or Fat Grafting in conjuntion with a rigorous facial exercise program will give you fantastic results.

[Claudia]

When did you purchase our product and try it to determine that it does not work? If you were dissatisfied with your results we will gladly refund your money. We do find that those that are pro surg. or sub par surgeons are scared to death that there is a cheaper less invasive solution. Granted not all damage can be corrected with our program. You have, however, selected photos of an individual on our forum who posted her pictures. Are they fake? Just pull the photo into photoshop and see if you can find some sort of editing. (although sometimes we switch color photos to b/w)... Once again, a person speaking from absolute lack of knowledge and experience... Now put that on your resume!

[plasticized]

The photos posted on the website are entirely unacceptable for evaluation of a technique or method. There are no clinical papers on pubmed or scientific evidence that facial resistance training works. If it does, I ask you to find a facial plastic surgeon that will perform this study in a controlled fashion (not with cellphone image captures).
The image selected in this post reveals a woman with dermatochalasis which is an excess of upper eyelid skin, completely unrelated to facial muscles in any way. There is absolutely no exercise or muscle strengthening to create the superior sulcus defect seen in the after photo. To claim as such would be fraudulent. I encourage anyone to explain a plausible mechanism for improvement of dermatochlasis with muscle training.

[Claudia]

Well here is the most current research we have on the topic...

http://www.flexeffect.com/research.htm

I'm a bit crunched for time. I can't find on your blog who you are exactly. A Surgeon? A Derm? Perhaps if you are either you would like to volunteer your patients a switch to a cheaper treatment as an experiment... if it doesn't work then you won't have lost any prospects.

[Vittoria]

Hey, guess what? I've got a before-and-after up on that site. And guess what else? No photoshop or other tinkering was involved. I was simply stunned at the results and posted the closeups to encourage other Flexers.

The FlexEffect forum is populated by very sincere, genuine and honest women and men. We do the exercises, we are impressed with the results, we post them for all to see. We're not there to sell anything; it's not our system to sell. We're there because FlexEffect works, and it's a regimen we all have in common.

Deb Crowley has science on her side. The facial muscles are the only muscles on the body that are connected directly to the skin, and yes, exercising them against resistance tones them up, which tones the skin as well. Not to mention flushing out fluids from under the eyelids, smoothing the surface of the skin and increasing blood flow for beautiful, luminous color.

You, on the other hand, have no proof that it doesn't work. How can I be so confident in saying that? Because I'm living proof that it does. And I'm only one of hundreds on that forum who can say the same thing.

[plasticized]

interesting that two posts came up within the same hour on a blog post from march 14.
the facial flex study from gary grove appears to be unpublished in a peer-reviewed journal. another study only had 6 patients and half had no improvement. another is related to synkinesis which is a neuromuscular cross-wiring and has no mention of facial training for contour or aesthetic changes. Others are simply testimonials. So actually, there is no good research on the subject.
Let's look at another example: http://www.flexeffect.com/PatBA.htm
this patient has blepharoptosis. This is caused by a disinsertion of the levator palpebrae muscle in the upper eyelid. To say that strengthening this muscle with exercises will improve the condition is like saying that situps will improve a hernia. In fact, if you look at the photos, the ptosis is the same in the before and after. The only difference is that there was a flash used in the after photo which has been proven to give 1mm of lift, which it barely has. Very interesting that the full face is not used in these examples, because it masks the brow expression, which also can give lift to the upper eyelids. if this works well, why not have consistent photos of the full face with the same conditions in the before and after in a professional setting with standard photographic lighting, angles, and postures as is required for scientific literature and trials?

[tonight]

Claudia is the owners daughter so you can imagine how she feels. Personally I tried the program and was not happy at all with the results. I also think that is why most of the trainers leave. Plus, people are treated so poorly on the forum that they just get fed up with the nonsense and stop trying to communicate with such close minded individuals. The site is definitely wacky and nasty, but what most of us find so offensive is that the owners encourage it. Oh well, to each there own. That's why most people stop participating.

breezy tonight

[Claudia]

Still won't identify yourself... Interesting now that you tried the product... yet never mentioned that in your first post. Interesting that you claim the pictures are not enough to warrant a purchase... yet you purchased.

Please... send back the product for a full refund.

Sad you didn't post my last post... guess it proved to much...

[Claudia]

Oopps... sorry... I just realized that the last comment was NOT by Plasticized... regardless... Tonight... You should return your product for a refund.

I'm wondering what trainer you believe has left... interesting.

Yes... I am Deb's daughter... pretty clear on the link offered in the blog... I used my name... why don't you use yours?

[dee]

been trying to get in tch with deb, claudia from flex effect and the trainers...but no response