Is it true that Japanese self-massage Zogan, or as it is often called on the Russian-language Internet - Asahi, will make you look 10 years younger? Will such a massage do any harm? Such questions are often heard in the comments to my videos on YouTube.
Let's start by leaving slogans like "10 years younger" to advertisers and marketers. Such promises work well for promoting any products or services in the beauty industry, but as a rule they are far from reality.
In fact, looking good at least for your age group requires a holistic approach, and facial massage or self-massage can be an important part of this holistic approach. But it is a component, not a panacea.
As for Zogan self-massage, I can note two undoubted advantages.
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The benefits of self-massage Zogan
The first plus is that this massage is quite simple. I think it is precisely because of its simplicity that it has gained such popularity in RuNet. The fact is that for beginners, the simpler the massage techniques, the better.
- There are no complicated techniques in this massage, the technique is quite simple.
- Massage is easy to remember and practice
- Self-massage does not take much time
The second plus that I want to note is that this self-massage contains simple lymphatic drainage techniques, and if they are performed correctly, this will give results:
- Lymph outflow will improve
- Swelling will decrease - the face will become less pasty
- There will be a lifting effect
But these are not some “secret” techniques. Similar techniques are present in any lymphatic drainage massage. It’s just that different techniques use different modifications and different schemes of these techniques. And in principle, any lymphatic drainage massage, if performed correctly, will give results. Just some to a greater, some to a lesser extent.
Japanese massage technique
The first technique was described above - they are the ones who need to complete each stage (exercise) of the massage.
Smoothing the forehead
Three fingers of each hand - index, middle and ring - are pressed tightly against the skin in the center of the forehead. After 3 seconds, move them smoothly towards your temples, without stopping the pressure. At the temporal part of the face, turn your palms 90 degrees and move them downward, performing the final exercise.
Relieving swelling from the eyes
With the pads of your middle fingers, touch the outer corners of your eyes and, without pressing, slide to the inner corners, as if resting on the bridge of your nose - these are the beauty points (stay at the point for 3 seconds). Next, you should increase the pressure and run your fingers in a circle just below the eyebrows - where the edge of the eye socket is located. Stop at the outer corners and hold the pressure for 3 seconds.
The next stage is to ease the pressure and return to the inner corner along the lower eyelid. Then we increase the pressure and return along the lower orbital bone to the outer corner of the eye, linger at the point, pressing slightly, ending with a final movement.
Raising the corners of the lips
Place the ring and middle fingers of both hands in the center of the chin, apply moderate pressure and hold at the point of pressure. Then, move your fingers around your lips, continuing to apply pressure to the skin. We complete the technique in the center above the upper lip, hold the pressure at this point for several seconds,
Smooth out nasolabial folds and shape the nose
Place your middle fingers in the depressions near the wings of the nose and make 5 sliding movements from bottom to top and back. Then, adding your ring finger, rub the back of your nose, moving towards your cheeks. Don't forget about the finishing movement.
Massage the corners of the mouth, cheeks, cheekbones, entire upper jaw
The three middle fingers should be pressed quite firmly towards the center of the chin. Next, without relaxing the pressure, move towards the eyes, going around the corners of the mouth. Fix for 3 seconds near your eyes, turn your palms and spread them towards your temples. Final movement.
Raise the lower part of the face and cheeks
Massage each side of the face separately. The center of the palm of one hand rests on the lower jaw bone on one side. The second palm moves from the corner of the lower jaw to the inner corner of the eye. Fixation for 3 seconds and continue moving from the corner of the eye to the tragus, completing the movement. The exercise is performed 3 times for each side of the face.
Strengthening the middle third of the face and cheeks
Press the fingers of both hands on both sides of the nose and forcefully spread them towards the temples. Final movement.
We lift the cheeks and correct their sagging
Place your elbows and palms together in front of you. Open your hands with your palms up, placing the bases of your palms to your lips. Lift them with pressure towards your nostrils and cover your cheeks with your palms. Hold for 3 seconds. Press your palms towards your temples and perform the final element of the massage.
Smooth the middle part of the cheeks and form a lip line
Place the heels of your palms in the center of your chin and, with pressure, move them towards the tragus of your ears. The final stage is required.
Fighting a double chin
Place the base of one of your palms under your chin and apply pressure from the center to the tragus of the ear, then do the final move. Do the same exercise, but in the opposite direction, with the other palm.
Down with nasolabial folds
The thumbs are located under the chin, the rest clasp the nose. We forcefully spread our palms, stretching our face, and fix it for 3 seconds. The final reception is required.
Forehead massage
Alternately, with both hands, we massage the forehead from right to left and vice versa with zigzag movements. Remember the finishing move.
Disadvantages of Zogan massage
Movements against massage lines
And now about the disadvantages of this self-massage. First of all, I want to note that some Zogan self-massage techniques raise questions. And I think not only from me, but also from other specialists who master various massage techniques or know the basic principles and rules of massage.
These are techniques that go against the massage lines, and even with a clear, strong displacement of facial tissues. In principle, light, sliding strokes are also acceptable against massage lines. But I wouldn’t do such strong techniques as in Zogan self-massage.
Lack of practical guidance
The second disadvantage is that there is no practical manual for this self-massage in Russian or English. I found a book by Yukuko Tanaka, the author of this technique, on Amazon, but it is presented only in the original language, that is, only in Japanese.
From the introductory fragments that are presented in the public domain, it is clear that the book describes in detail techniques so that those who practice this self-massage perform all the movements correctly.
And perhaps the book also contains recommendations for whom this massage is suitable and for whom it should not be practiced. But since there is no book in Russian, I believe that many people do this massage without even thinking about whether they need it at all, why this or that technique is performed, and whether this self-massage will harm them.
Therefore, in the end, someone notices a positive effect, someone does not see any results, and someone gets a result with a minus sign - sunken cheeks or rashes appear.
No muscle work
The third point that I want to emphasize is that this massage, unfortunately, does not solve other, no less important problems. For example, one of the common problems is hypertonicity of the muscles of the upper third of the face, which leads to the formation of eyebrow wrinkles, horizontal forehead wrinkles and the formation of crow's feet.
These muscles need to be relaxed. In addition, certain muscles of the middle and lower third of the face may be hypotonic. You can and should work with such muscles too. Zogan self-massage is not aimed at working with the muscular system.
That is, this self-massage cannot be called universal, and to solve other problems you need to use other massage or self-massage techniques.
Contraindications
1. Viral and infectious diseases.
If you have a fever, it is better for you to avoid facial massage, because under the influence of active movements of the hands and fingers, blood circulation accelerates, which can only “disperse” the spread of the virus throughout the body. The disease may drag on and complications may arise.
2. Skin inflammation and dermatitis.
Massaging infected areas of skin may increase their spread, making your sore condition worse. In addition, the number of lesions can increase several times, and the components of the oils can provoke their complications.
3. Skin atrophy.
Thin skin can cause mechanical damage during massage, including the formation of rosacea and bruising. If you have open skin wounds or burns, you should also avoid this procedure.
Microcurrents for the face - a modern phenomenon of cosmetology
Microcurrent facial therapy
– an innovative cosmetological method of skin rejuvenation. This type of physiotherapeutic procedures confidently reduces the popularity and demand for Botox. The key advantages of microcurrents are a gentle effect and an almost immediately noticeable result.
Microcurrents: a general description of a cosmetological phenomenon
Microcurrent facial treatment refers to the delicate effect of low-voltage electric current on the skin. The procedure allows in a matter of minutes to achieve alignment of facial wrinkles, normalization of the functioning of all components of the dermis and improvement of the general appearance of the epidermis. This is achieved through gentle contraction of muscle tissue.
Microcurrents act on the epidermis as delicately as possible,
activating cell metabolic processes and normalizing ion channels. They trigger biochemical processes that, for some reason, no longer function independently (due to age, improper care, side effects from another procedure/medicines).
Result of exposure to minimum currents:
— Increased muscle tone; — Improving the synthesis of adentosine tiphosphate; — Increasing the speed of movement of amino acids; — Acceleration of blood microcirculation; — Increased synthesis of elastin, hyaluron, collagen by two times. — The changes made in the structure of the skin contribute to a faster movement of beneficial macroelements in the dermis and the removal of harmful toxins from cells.
The effectiveness of the innovative method
Moving from theory to practice, I would like to immediately note the effect that is achieved through the procedure. All actions described in the previous block are aimed at achieving one goal - improving the condition of facial skin.
Microcurrents help:
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Reduce facial and age wrinkles, swelling; — Refresh skin color; — Normalize the functioning of the sebaceous glands and reduce the formation of acne; — Prevent (or cure) inflammatory processes; — Fill every cell with vital activity; — Eliminate acne marks/pimples; — Tighten sagging skin; — Reduce bags under the eyes and more.
In addition, microcurrents for the face can reduce or completely get rid of pain resulting from traumatic skin treatment (plasty, resurfacing, peeling, etc.). Microcurrent therapy is especially recommended for the dermis, which has already begun to show signs of aging. Due to the insignificant electrical indicators, this procedure is not addictive.
Features of the procedure
Microcurrents are applied to the face using a special electricity-generating device equipped with a mechanical control panel. The latter allows the specialist to independently control the strength and frequency of the current depending on the characteristics of the patient’s skin.
The procedure is quite simple to carry out and takes place in 3 stages.
:
Skin preparation
.
This step is necessary to completely cleanse your face. After removing the impurities, the cosmetologist applies the gel necessary for the unhindered transmission of electric current from the device to the deep layers of the dermis. Treatment
.
Microcurrent therapy can be performed using stationary, moving or glove electrodes. The cosmetologist selects the most suitable treatment method on an individual basis. Hydration.
The treated skin is moisturized with a cream designed for the specific type. The average session time is 30-50 minutes. In this case, no preliminary testing or analysis is required. Before microcurrent treatment, the cosmetologist conducts a full consultation and survey, on the basis of which the possibility of performing the procedure is determined.
Skin preparation and further care
The advantage of microcurrent therapy is that there is no need for special preparation.
The procedure can be carried out immediately on the day of treatment. to adhere to several rules
for 3-7 days before skin treatment : - Refusal of alcohol, cigarettes and coffee; — Consumption of at least 1 liter of water per day; — Normalization of sleep (sleep at least 7 hours); — Exclusion from the diet of foods high in protein; — Limiting physical activity. — Such restrictions should be adhered to throughout the entire course of treatment.
As for facial care after the procedure, everything is somewhat simpler. To achieve the best effect and preserve it for a longer period of time, it is recommended not to apply makeup for 24 hours after the procedure, not to overload the liver with alcoholic beverages and fatty foods, and also do not forget about the rule of consuming at least 1 liter of water. More detailed recommendations will be announced by the cosmetologist after the microcurrent facial procedure and determination of the current skin condition.
Number of sessions and result of the procedure
Microcurrent treatment gives effective results after the first procedure. The skin noticeably improves, tightens and becomes more hydrated. However, to achieve the most positive result, it is still recommended to carry out microcurrent courses. The number of sessions and their frequency depend on age:
Up to 30 years - no more than 2-3 sessions per course (in this case, microcurrents are recommended as a preventive procedure or additional cosmetic facial treatment during the main therapy); Up to 40 years – 5-6 sessions with a weekly frequency; Up to 50 years – 8-12 sessions every three days; From 50 years – more than 10 sessions with a frequency of 1-2 days. These conditions are general. The exact number of sessions and their frequency within one course is determined by the cosmetologist. To set the correct schedule, the specialist assesses the current condition of the skin and checks its reaction to the first procedure.
In addition to complex (course) treatment, a one-time procedure is also possible. One session of electrical skin treatment helps to achieve a short-term effect that lasts up to 2-3 days. This option of microcurrent therapy is suitable if you need to prepare for an upcoming important event or if you are not yet ready to take a full course.
Indications and contraindications
Like any physiotherapeutic procedure, microcurrents for the face have their own number of indications and contraindications. Signs of the need for such skin treatment are: - Traces of acne, acne; — Incorrectly formed contours of the oval face; — Presence of pigment spots; — Recent plastic surgery; — Increased sagging skin; — Excessive dryness and sensitivity of the dermis. The skin treated with electric current is instantly smoothed and almost immediately begins to accelerate the production of missing microelements. Due to this, all problems, which are indications, are eliminated as quickly as possible.
Despite its high efficiency and gentle effect on the dermis, not everyone is allowed to undergo microcurrent therapy. Main contraindications
to its implementation: - Pregnancy, breastfeeding; — Presence of metal pins (other designs), gold threads, pacemaker; — Impaired heart function; — Individual intolerance to electricity; — Malignant neoplasms; — Epilepsy; — Somatic diseases in severe form. Before directly applying microcurrents to the face, the cosmetologist will conduct a full consultation and indicate the possibility of carrying out the procedure.
Pros and cons of microcurrents
Microcurrent therapy today is one of the innovative methods of skin treatment and does not have a full-fledged analogue. Its popularity and demand is explained by a large number of advantages. The main advantage of this type of physiotherapy is its effectiveness. The result of derma treatment is noticeable immediately after completion of the session. The effect obtained during a full course lasts for six months.
Equally important advantages
procedures include: - Painlessness - due to the influence of the current, only a barely noticeable tingling sensation may be felt; — Good tolerance - the body tolerates the effects of electric current well; - Possibility of inclusion in complex treatment - microcurrents for the face can be carried out during the same period with other cosmetic operations; - Safety - a small current does not have a negative effect on the body, the only exception is skin treatment if there are contraindications; - Complex impact - electric waves are aimed at eliminating all shortcomings, and not individual problems.
With a large number of advantages and disadvantages
the procedure has very little. They concern possible discomfort associated with exposure to electric current. During this procedure, a metallic taste may appear in the mouth. After completion of the procedure, a short-term increase in blood pressure is possible.
Microcurrents for the face: myths and truth Due to the large amount of information about microcurrents, which is not always true, the number of myths about the procedure regularly increases. Let's look at the most common assumptions and determine their veracity:
“Exposure to electric current is painful and unpleasant!” - myth. Only low-frequency electrical layers are sent to the deep layers of the epidermis. The only possible discomfort is a slight tingling sensation, similar to the effects of frost. “Microcurrents help get rid of dark circles” is partly true. Getting rid of dark circles using electrical impulses is only possible if their appearance is not associated with diseases of the internal organs. “Exposure to electricity leads to muscle atrophy” is a myth. Short pulses, on the contrary, correct and improve facial contours. But no other way! Most of the untrue myths are left by girls who are simply afraid to visit a cosmetologist’s office or who have chosen an insufficiently qualified specialist to perform microcurrent therapy. To avoid making this mistake, we recommend that you contact only professionals in their field. You can find these in our Galatea salon.
Microcurrent facial treatment in Maryino metro station Bratislavskaya
– an effective procedure that allows you to achieve noticeable results in the shortest possible time. Its implementation has a positive effect on all layers of the dermis and improves the overall appearance of the skin. The main condition is to choose the right cosmetologist and not neglect his recommendations.
Is it possible to do Asahi massage after 40?
It is worth noting that all movements are quite strong and are carried out with significant pressure. This allows you to massage not only the deep layers of the skin, but also the muscles. Due to the fact that the muscles begin to work, skin turgor increases, the face becomes denser, the oval is restored, the cheeks are eliminated, and the cheeks that resemble a Shar Pei disappear.
Is it possible to do Asahi massage after 40:
- This massage is not recommended for all age groups. It is mainly recommended for use by women over 35 years of age. It will be equally useful both after 40 and after 50 years. However, it is worth considering some features of this massage.
- First of all, it should not be used by women with finely wrinkled aging, highly dry skin, if it resembles paper. This is an ideal option for women with oily to normal skin who have a small amount of excess weight in the facial area.
- These are pronounced cheeks, Bish's lumps, as well as the presence of a small double chin. Oddly enough, with the help of Asahi massage, the face can be made more sculpted, blurred areas, a swollen oval, and a double chin can be removed.
Asahi massage
The importance of good lymphatic drainage.
The lymphatic system is an extensive and vital system of our body. Lymph, which flows through lymphatic vessels, collects fluid and debris that accumulates between cells and tissues. When malfunctioning of the lymphatic system occurs, the body cannot normally remove harmful toxins, and they accumulate in the tissues. In such cases, pressotherapy can be useful in achieving this important function.
Good lymph flow contributes to:
- better oxygen supply to organs and tissues;
- acceleration of metabolism;
- breakdown of adipose tissue;
- increasing regeneration and elasticity of the skin;
- strengthening the immune system (lymphocytes are also transported in lymph).
That is, you will not only become healthier, but also improve your appearance.
Lymphatic drainage massage for face and neck
There are many lymph nodes in the neck and lower face. Proper treatment of delicate sensitive skin increases its elasticity and makes it healthier. You can do lymphatic drainage massage yourself, standing in front of a mirror. The procedure takes about 10-15 minutes, and the result is simply amazing:
- swelling under the eyes disappears;
- the double chin is noticeably reduced;
- small wrinkles are smoothed out;
- nasolabial folds are less noticeable;
- facial contours become clearer.
The massage normalizes the water-salt balance in the cells, as a result of which oily or dry skin becomes normal and the complexion acquires an even, healthy shade.
Asahi massage: video in Russian
Please note that during the massage, redness and irritation may appear. But most often it is observed if the skin is very dry, and there has been no pre-moisturization in the form of cream, lotion, or massage oil. Many people believe that acne may appear after a massage. This is due to the fact that when applying massage oil, pores may become clogged. Accordingly, after the massage, it is necessary to cleanse the face using micellar water or lotion to further degrease it.
