Buccal Massage: Transform Your Visage with this Lifting, Toning and Luxurious Face Ritual

By Elisa Nesta, RMT, R.Ac

Many natural and non-invasive skin therapies we use today have their roots in Eastern Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese Medicine practices. In the West, buccal massage was the brainchild of Joëlle Ciocco, a Parisian beauty expert, who originated, innovated and perfected this holistic facelifting ritual over four decades. In recent years, buccal massage has seen a massive resurgence in popularity among celebrities and many influential people. There is a growing interest in the art of aging gracefully. A pivot point has been reached in our modern lives as we embrace things that align with our nature. Sometimes, we need a gentle nudge in the right direction.

We wake up one day and notice our face is congested, dry and dehydrated and we regularly forget to drink enough water. We see that emotional stress is showing up as unwanted facial expressions. We live to work and struggle to maintain work-life balance. We don’t always have the best skin care routine and we struggle to find time for self care.

A buccal massage treatment can be a nudge in the right direction. It is more than a natural facelift. It works with many important facets of our beauty and healing power. This ritual engages the nervous system, lymphatic system, circulatory system, fascial system, muscular system and chakra system and often our energies as we float into blissful, inner space of retreat and rejuvenation.

Areas targeted in buccal massage

Buccal Massage Is More than Skin Deep

Buccal massage and intraoral massage are interchangeable since they mean the same thing. Massage Therapists, Osteopaths, Chiropractors and Dentists often use intraoral massage techniques to treat patients who experience bruxism or TMJ, chronic headaches, myofascial restrictions in the face and motor impairment in the facial muscles due to nerve damage i.e post-stroke, Bells palsy, etc . The therapeutic benefits of this massage are far reaching and can vastly improve one’s quality of health.

Let’s Face It : Your Giving Life, Lift and Detox

Buccal massage is a term used by skin therapists and European facialists when used specifically for the purpose of facial rejuvenation. It targets the skin, layers of fascia, ligaments, tendons, muscles of mastication and the mimetic muscles of the face. Buccal massage is performed by manipulating the facial structures with rhythmic stroking, pressing and stretching techniques at moderate to deep intensities which often access the deeper layers of stored tension. This technique helps sculpt and contour your face by stimulating deeper tissue layers which lead to a more youthful and radiant complexion.

In addition, buccal massage relaxes the mimetic tone of your face which improves your mood and calms your entire body. It affects the microcirculation in the skin which increases the perfusion of nutrients and fresh oxygen reaching the tissues, leading to a brighter, more rejuvenated complexion. It improves lymph flow to the facial nodes and reduces facial congestion and promotes skin detoxification. The benefits of regular face massage are cumulative and can also help increase the production of collagen and elastin which reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.

Letting Go of Emotional Tension

Our mood affects our facial expressions and vice versa. Our nervous system is programmed to contract our mimetic facial muscles in certain patterns to convey a range of emotions. Prolonged stress causes chronic tension to be stored in your face and jaw muscles. By releasing this tension you also release the emotions and trauma behind them. Did you ever wonder why your face and body relaxes after you have a good cry? Crying increases blood dilation in your face and causes more blood to flow to the skin. It stretches the tissues and causes the release of endorphins and oxytocin which create a relaxation effect, decreases stress hormones and can make the skin glow.

Common places of tension held in the face and jaw coincide with specific acupressure points and tendon attachments. TCM acupoints and Ayurvedic marma points on the face can be gently pressed to promote the correct energy flows and enhance mind-body balance. Stimulating these facial points has an immediate relaxation effect on the intra-osseous tension in the face. This is why buccal massage is a great therapy to help correct facial asymmetry due over-active or under-active facial muscles.

Eastern Tools of the Trade : Facial Gua sha and Facial Cupping

Moving facial cupping is a treatment which provides a direct suction effect to the tissues which enhances microcirculation and detoxes the skin via the lymph nodes in the face and neck. With buccal massage the emphasis is on pressing, circular stroking and stretching the tissue on the face and inside the oral cavity. Buccal massage in conjunction with Facial Gua Sha and Cupping, is the perfect trifecta to toning, sculpting, plumping and lifting while improving microcirculation and lymphatic drainage to get that zenned out, facial glow.

Other popular and newer add-on treatments such as LED and vibratory tools can be customized to further enhance blood flow, lymph drainage and skin tightening. LED a great add-on to reduce inflammation in the skin, improve fine lines and circulation in the skin. Consult with one of our buccal massage specialists (RMT) to tailor your treatment goals and to meet your unique needs.