Key Summary of Facial Lymphatic Circulation and Asymmetry Correction Exercises
01 Lymphatic Drainage and Neck Muscle Stretching
- Terminus (Clavicle) Massage: Gently massage the hollow lymph nodes above the clavicle to open the drainage point, which is the final destination for lymphatic circulation.
- Platysma and Digastric Muscle Relaxation: Press below the clavicle and tilt your head diagonally upward to pull the platysma. With your tongue pressed against the roof of your mouth, open your mouth to stretch the digastric muscle, securing the lymphatic pathway.
02 Facial Muscle Strengthening and Elasticity Exercises by Region
- TMJ and Masseter: Place your fist under your chin and create resistance between the force of trying to open your mouth and the force pushing upward to balance the left and right sides.
- Zygomaticus: Mimic the sound "eun" to lift the corners of your mouth using only the cheek muscles to restore volume to the upper cheeks and alleviate smile lines.
- Lips and Mentalis: With your tongue against the roof of your mouth, open and close your lower jaw about 30 times to prevent sagging and release tension.
- Preventing Eye Sagging: Use your fingers to hold the outer corners of your eyes, pull the lower eyelids upward, and maintain a squinting position for 10 seconds.
03 Essential Exercise Principles to Prevent Side Effects
โ Do Not Use Excessive Force
Never apply excessive force. Overexertion can worsen side effects like synkinesis, where the eyes and mouth move together.
โญ Mirror Check and Pre-Massage
Always look in a mirror to provide visual input to your brain. You must release the suboccipital muscles at the back of the neck before exercise to open the pathways for nerves and blood flow.
04 Asymmetry Intensive Training and Pre/Post Acupressure
- Independent Movement Training: Practice closing only your eyes while keeping your mouth in an 'O' shape; stop immediately if the corners of your mouth twitch.
- Resistive Exercise for Drooping Mouth Corners: Hook a finger inside the drooping corner of the mouth, pull diagonally downward, and slowly lift it toward the cheekbone for 5 seconds while resisting the pressure. (Relax the opposite side)
- Pre/Post Acupressure: Before exercise, apply deep pressure to the Ye-gwan, Hagan, and Hyeop-geo points to relieve nerve compression; after exercise, apply pressure to the Indang and Taeyang points to release facial tension and stabilize the autonomic nervous system.
