Boy George’s face yoga – an alternative to botulinum toxin?

Face yoga has been around for a long time, with some claiming its origins date back as far as 10000 BC. GP and cosmetic doctor Dr Ahmed El Muntasar comments on whether the singer’s expressive workouts are a suitable alternative for aesthetic treatments.

“Doing all those very weird and wonderful facial expressions increases the muscle tone,” said Muntasar. “By increasing the muscle tone, you tighten the muscles which mean you can tighten the skin.

"Also, as we age, the lymphatic drainage in the face reduces so this is why people start experiencing puffiness in their faces. By increasing muscle contraction, you increase blood flow and lymphatic drainage, so there is less puffiness in the face and more tone. You see more sculpting of the cheekbone and the jawline and so on – plus, it’s a nice way to wake up in the morning, I guess!”

However, while Muntasar sees the benefits of face yoga, he doesn’t think it works as a substitute for toxin treatments. “It’s not going to do much with regards to lines, which is where botulinum toxins come in - it’s not an alternative for botulinum toxin whatsoever.”