Face Taping for Wrinkles – The Perfect Temporarily Face Lift? Or False Advertising?
This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s fall editorial intern Brianna Allison. Find her on Instagram at @ballison7. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
In the last few years, our generation has realized how important taking care of our skin is; Not just so it looks flawless now, but even more so for our future, older self. We skin cycle at night and put on vitamin C serum and sunscreen in the morning. Our skincare routines are very important to us!
And TikTok is the vault of all skin tips, tricks and secrets. Some are new and some are old. But one trend that’s been around for years has been gaining popularity recently– face taping! It’s a little strange but it is supposed to leave your skin looking youthful. However, is there proof that these face taping techniques truly work? Let’s break down the TikTok beauty trend and see if it’s worth all the hype!
What is face taping?
Well, face taping is basically just what it sounds like. People apply tape to any area of their face where they’re concerned about wrinkles or fine lines. It could be their foreheads, the area by their mouth, around their eyes– really anywhere. And then they go to sleep. The process is essentially supposed to reduce fine lines and wrinkles by the morning. The tape is meant to restrict the muscles from moving throughout the night because even though we are sleeping, we still make facial expressions and our facial muscles move as we adjust our sleeping position. By the tape minimizing the muscles’ motion, they are preventing wrinkles from forming.
To achieve any progress with your wrinkles or fine lines, you will need to repeat the process for a week or more. Konstantin Vasyukevich, M.D., a New York board-certified facial plastic surgeon says that “Face taping is meant to be a shortcut to medical anti-aging techniques.” The restriction that the tape forces on the muscles is similar to how Botox, a common injectable, works.
Is face taping safe?
Now, before you go adding face taping into your nighttime skincare routine, we need to see if it’s safe. If you really think about it, you probably know that having a piece of tape stuck to your face for hours isn’t the best thing for your skin, especially depending on the type of tape you’re using. By sticking adhesive on your skin you are damaging your skin barrier and could potentially remove the top layer of your skin when you strip off the tape. It could also cause irritation, redness and/or breakouts (So, if you have sensitive skin, I wouldn’t recommend this technique). Also, having tape on your face for hours is just uncomfortable, so make sure you’re prepared for that.
If you still are wanting to try the face taping technique for fine lines and wrinkles, then follow these rules to safely proceed. Do not regularly tape your face. Dr. Vasyukevich says that the face taping technique should be done in moderation. And make sure you are using the proper tape. Don’t tape your face with an old roll of Scotch tape that you found around the house or pick up duct tape from Lowe’s. You want the tape to have an adhesive that is meant for the skin so you do not destroy it. Check out options such as these:
- Frownies the Original Wrinkle Patch (They’re some of the most popular face taping patches because they’ve been around since 1889!)
- Toute Nuit Wrinkle Patches
- Akissos Facial Tape
- BlumBody Face Wrinkle Patches
- SiO Anti-Wrinkle Patches
Does it actually help?
Ummmm, so it kind of works? The research is saying in theory that it doesn’t really work because face taping is a temporary fix. The continual taping of your face overnight can produce results in the morning. It’s just no guarantee of how long those results will last. But, there are plenty of people who swear by the technique and how it has transformed their skin.
But, honestly, the doctors are sharing that face taping can actually have the opposite effect.
Michael Horn, M.D., a New York and New Jersey board-certified plastic surgeon explained that “When you tape your face to hold muscles still, you’re preventing them from doing what they’re supposed to, thus adding resistance.” The resistance then causes your fine lines and wrinkles to work harder against the tape. Doing this enables your muscles to grow stronger and more powerful. Eventually, “accelerating the formation of the fine lines and wrinkles you were hoping to avoid.” So, unfortunately, repeated face taping seems to cause more harm than good in the long run!
What are some other options besides face taping?
So, now you’re probably wondering, ‘Well, if I’m not face taping, then what should I do for my fine lines and wrinkles? Here are a couple of other alternatives. First, if you’re looking to improve wrinkles at home, you’ll want to make sure that you’re using the right products in your skincare routine. It’s essential that you’re wearing a sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher to protect your skin. You’ll always want to add a retinoid to your routine to “improve cellular turnover, which reduces the appearance of fine lines and can treat them before they form.”
And if that doesn’t seem like enough and you’re really concerned about fine lines and wrinkles, you will need to see a plastic surgeon or dermatologist. Once you’re in good medical hands you can discuss anti-wrinkle options like Botox, laser therapy, neurotoxins, chemical peels or other in-office procedures.
So, on the surface, the face taping techniques seem like the perfect skin hacks for youthful and taunt skin. However, after researching, it looks like it might be more work and risk than it’s worth. But, the choice is yours if you want to try it! Some people swear by it, they do it every night and wake up with amazing skin! Others don’t feel that it does much for them or it doesn’t last long enough to keep up with it. You decide what’s best for you and your skin!
Just remember that getting older and having your skin change might seem scary but it’s something that happens to everyone so try not to stress about it! Just make sure that you’re taking care of your skin and protecting it!
Have you heard about face taping before? Are you willing to try it? Let us know in the comments below if it will be the next beauty trend that you attempt! And please share your results!