Are stored emotions & trauma accelerating aging?

Trauma and accumulated stress are giving you more wrinkles...

Have you ever wondered why you saw changes on your skin and overall face after the COVID years or after a time of major stress in your life? Why is this happening? Short answer is connective tissue “aka” Fascia. You probably know that I love the phrase, “your issues get stuck in your tissues”, and that is the second answer to the why question.

The connective tissue includes the fascia that is this connected thin layer all over your body on top of your muscles that holds everything together. When your body is constantly in the tensed, fight or flight mode it will prioritize the survival functions and will not give attention to what it deems “non-essential”. In the fight or flight mode the tension or stress are not only in your mind, but they will also travel through your body trying to make space for it in addition to continue with those functions that are truly needed for a healthy body functioning. When that constant stress travels through your body the muscles and all the connective tissues including the fascia will “absorb” that emotion or stress so the body can continue to adapt and to survive another stressful day.

All of that happens in your face and body. The face is an interesting place because many times our reactions or emotions show first on our face. This means that we are constantly overly tensing the muscles and fascia of the face area. Absorbing and storing all those emotions, good or bad. When this happens to our muscles and fascia our blood circulation and oxygenation in that area get compromised, affecting the appearance of the skin and face structure. The short answer is tensed muscles and connective tissue create deeper wrinkles, when there is not adequate blood circulation and oxygenation the collagen production may be impaired thus accelerating the dull and sagging look of the face.

Think about this, the connective tissue is like a river system if there is an area where there is obstruction not allowing the water to flow freely it will create stagnation, the water will not be as clean, the ecosystem around will not get the needed water, and it will create deficit issues down the river stream. The same happens with your body, after all we are not that different to Earth and nature.

This is the reason I joined the esthetics industry to go deeper and offer different tools to reach amplified beauty. It is more than applying products on your skin or using the latest peel. What we hold inside will show on the outside.

How can you help your fascia around the face and shoulders to avoid a proliferation of wrinkles “aka” premature aging?

The short answer is Strech, Release and Relax. Stretching is key for longevity; it allows the connective tissue to release and relax allowing the tissues to receive the needed nourishment “aka” circulation and oxygen. Release, through some type of fascia massage we can remove stagnant energy or emotions out of the fascia and muscle tissues, Relax, your nervous system can go from the hero to the villain of the story quite fast. The nervous system when is unbalanced signals the body to create more cortisol thus creating more inflammation and adding stress to your connective tissue. On the other hand, when your nervous system is able to relax and go to that balanced state it gives the perfect ecosystem to your body to heal and release.

Let’s dive into all three; Strech, Release and Relax from a facial treatment perspective. I love to incorporate all of these during my treatments:

ɤ Strech and Release, I like to incorporate few facial massage techniques (sculpting massage, myofascial, buccal or intra-oral massage and few others) that I have learned outside esthetician school. This massage includes the scalp, face, neck and shoulders because the rivers of your face are connected all the way down. Also, I love the real Gua Sha technique from Traditional Chinese Medicine, it is perfect to release fascia tension. You may see many spas offering Gua Sha but only a few of those places actually practice the technique from the source, many times they are only using it as a lymphatic drainage tool and believe me Gua Sha is so much more than that.

ɤ Relax, incorporating a short breathing exercise in combination with talking to yourself -maybe this one sound crazy- but you can call them affirmations as well. Breathing, we take that function for granted many times, and that is funny because it is the way we give and receive daily life. Also, I always invite my clients (if the wish) to put an intention for the time of the facial.

Your words are powerful use them to your advantage!

Another golden technique I love to use is lymphatic drainage massage, the slow and repetitive movements get your body in a calm state plus it assists in the removal of toxins and fluid stagnation – giving the sculpted less puffy face look -

Therapeutic human touch can be healing to the body since it may increase levels of serotonin and dopamine in the brain, which can help regulate emotions, moods, and behaviors. Also, in my practice I always have in mind that this may not be the case for everyone. When is therapeutic touch not healing? The most common may be for an individual that has experienced major physical or emotional trauma. But this is a big topic that I may go into it in a different time.

For now, if you feel comfortable, I invite you to experience the healing of therapeutic touch.

As always let’s seek beauty over perfection.

With Love,

Estefania