Many people will try nearly anything to reduce the signs of aging, from fillers and Botox to hair dye and age spot-reducing creams.
Now, folks are turning to another remedy to reduce wrinkles, fine lines and sagging skin — jaw tape and forehead tape. These adhesive patches are popular online among influencers and non-influencers alike.
Dr. Stephanie Florez-Pollack, a dermatologist at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital in Texas, said anti-wrinkle tape is appealing partly because it’s non-invasive, meaning you don’t need to go to a doctor for a procedure.
“In terms of what I have seen on social media and from some of the more prominent companies, the face taping ritual involves putting a very tight piece of tape on your forehead typically, and leaving it on for at least three hours,” said Florez-Pollack, adding that some brands recommend overnight use.
The companies claim that over an indeterminate amount of time, you’ll notice fewer lines and wrinkles. But Florez-Pollack is skeptical.
“I take issue with some of those statements because they are not evidence-based,” she said.
Taping products claim to retrain your muscles to move less ― but that is not accurate.
Many of the brands also claim face tape use will retrain your facial muscles not to move as much.
“As you get older, wrinkles typically appear where muscles move repeatedly such as around your eyes, forehead and mouth,” said Dr. Craig Lehrman, director of aesthetic surgery at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
But you can’t just retrain your muscles, Florez-Pollack said. “When we put something over the skin by no means we are affecting the muscle that is triggering the contraction. So when we remove-the tape, even if the appearance of the skin is temporarily being flattened by whatever pressure device, the actual root of the cause of the wrinkles is not being addressed, which is the muscle contraction in and of itself.”
Plus, if you’re wearing this tape overnight — as many of the brands recommend — you’re not actually doing much when it comes to limiting your face’s movement because you aren’t using as many (if any) facial expressions as you sleep.
While face tape (or similarly marketed jawline bands) can temporarily improve wrinkles and sagging skin, “the effect is only beneficial while it is on,” Lehrman said.
In fact, using face tape carries risks.
“Applying any type of adhesive to your skin can cause irritation and obstruction of the pores causing sebum buildup and breakouts,” Lehrman said.
Florez-Pollack said that she commonly sees tape allergies and irritation among her patients.
“We know that adhesives contain chemicals that we typically see as not only being highly irritating, but also, over time, can cause allergies,” said Florez-Pollack.
And do you really want to have visible irritation on your forehead or jaw? Two highly visibly parts of the body? Probably not.
Robert Decelis via Getty Images
Face tape isn’t going to lessen signs of aging, but there are other things that can help.
Botox, the brand name for a neurotoxin injected in the face, can achieve what face tapes promise, as can competitors Jeuveau, Xeomin and Dysport, Florez-Pollack said.
“When we apply the toxin to these muscles of facial expression, we can then relax the muscle, and with progressive relaxation of the muscle, you can then prevent the deepening of the fine lines and wrinkles.”
Lehrman added that daily sunscreen use of 30-plus SPF is important for long-term skin health, as are things like staying hydrated and eating a nutritious diet. “The other adjuncts that have been shown to be useful are topical retinol use, antioxidant use and good skin care,” said Lehrman.
Remember that wrinkles are a normal part of aging.
“Facial aging and wrinkles are due to a variety of factors that include changes to the skin, the facial fat and the underlying facial skeleton,” Lehrman said. “Things like facial taping are a temporary fix but not a long term solution.”
Plus, wrinkles aren’t necessarily a bad thing — and aging is a privilege that not everyone gets to experience.
“I think that one thing that we have sort of created in the society of social media and filters is the idea that we shouldn’t have any of these fine lines and wrinkles. And I highly recommend my patients to really kind of accept some forms of fine lines and wrinkles because these are marks of our expressions,” said Florez-Pollack. “These are marks of what makes us human.”
While deep fine lines may not be appealing to you, it’s also unrealistic to get older and expect to have a face that belongs to a 13-year-old, she noted.
“And so I think that is also setting realistic goals and understanding that aging can be a beautiful process in all of us,” Florez-Pollack stated.