A facial with a difference

A new treatment claims to restore your face to its natural symmetry by easing tension and stress in facial muscles, writes RUTH O'CONNOR

NEVER BEFORE HAVE we been so bombarded with pictures of celebrities and models that represent the "ideal". In our image-obsessed world, the pursuit of perfection has resulted in a cosmetic surgery industry worth billions and television programmes such as Ten Years Youngerand The Cosmetic Surgery Show. But if the idea of a nip'n'tuck is too cut- throat or Botox fills you with dread, a new treatment devised by physical therapist Dylan Crowe might be an option.

Crowe had been treating people for jaw pain, sinusitis and migraine for several years using soft tissue therapy. Feedback from his clients led him to develop the Facial Symmetry Programme – an aesthetic 10-session treatment which seeks to return the face to a more symmetrical and natural state.

“I have treated a lot of people with oral, head and neck pain and my clients were reporting not only feeling better but that they had more energy in the face and an improved appearance,” says Crowe.

At the Posture Centre, Crowe’s usual role is to treat people for chronic pain. With a degree in sports therapy from Bedford University, a diploma in manipulative therapy and in dry needling, he treats musculoskeletal problems holistically by looking at the whole body as well the problem areas.

“Similarly,” says Crowe, “when treating the face, I am not looking at it in isolation, but also looking at the head and neck and improving posture which balances the face.”

He uses a grid of three horizontal and two vertical lines to gauge the symmetry of the client’s face, examining facial landmarks (nose, eyes, ears etc) and looking at deviations in symmetry caused by torsion (whereby muscle tissue is contracted and twisted due to restriction in the muscles) and tension (which can come from bad posture as well as everyday stress).

The programme involves manipulative work on the face, head, neck and shoulders in order to correct postural problems and oral work where Crowe palpates the tissues of the mouth. “It is soft issue manipulation in the mouth and the goal is never to create pain, rather to release tension in the mouth,” he says.

“On the first session the muscles in the mouth may be very tight, but over the course of the treatment a lot can be achieved. By releasing the muscles in the jaw it has a positive effect in elevating the cheek bones and providing more tone in the face,” he says.

Asenette Hogan was recommended the treatment by a friend. “I consider it to be like a workout for the face,” says the 47-year-old.

“I exercise and mind what I eat, but I wouldn’t say I’m obsessive. I suppose this treatment fits in with an ethos of staying fit and, just as you can see the effect of exercise on the body, so too can you see the benefits of this.”

Hogan says she doesn’t find the inter-oral aspect of the treatment intrusive, as Crowe explains each action and its expected result.

Another of his clients, human resource manager Lisa Quish, says that while she has a low pain threshold, she did not find the treatments uncomfortable. She says that while she was attending the sessions for aesthetic reasons, she also found a great release of tension from the treatment.

“I found the benefit was also psycho-physiological in that the release in the muscles also released tension. I would use the analogy of Atlas carrying the world – with my head realigned on my shoulders I could feel the immediate benefits to my posture and a release of pressure in my head.”

As a yoga instructor, 38-year-old Quish says the treatment “suits her psychologically” as she feels such treatments as Botox and fillers are too “prosthetic” for her.

“I suppose when you’re kicking 40,” she says, “it’s good to do interventionist things – to take preventative measures. I think people are moving away from the superficial route and looking to something more holistic. This treatment bridges the gap between the holistic and the clinical.”

Hogan says she found the treatments educational too. “I only began to notice after the treatment how the general stresses of life start to show in the face. The first time I was treated I felt fresher, exhilarated . . . you can put as many creams as you like on your face but I guess you need to maintain the muscles of the face as well.”

To date, Hogan has had four treatments and says her cheeks feel firmer and her jaw feels less tense and more elevated, resulting in the reduction of lines around her mouth.

Crowe provides a facial exercise programme tailored to the needs of each client and recommends that they return after four months for a couple of top-up maintenance sessions.

To date he has treated mostly women over 35 years of age, many of whom have stressful jobs. He has treated only one man, though he hopes more will follow. “I will definitely be encouraging my husband to be next on the list,” says Hogan.

The 10-week Facial Symmetry Programme costs €650