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How do I Lose Weight in my Face?

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

It would be lovely if people could determine where they most want to lose weight and simply work or diet for those specific areas. Weight loss, unless targeted by a plastic surgeon performing liposuction, is not that specific. If a person wants to lose weight in the face without such measures, this means simply dropping weight until the desired degree of thinness is achieved for the whole body.

When people do lose weight, they may or may not show this in the face at first. There are some exercises that some people advocate for toning facial muscles. Yet as proven by wrinkle accumulation around the face, most already get plenty of tone through normal facial movement. Doing some head lifts upwards and downwards might tone muscles in the neck and improve appearance of the chin area, but most people don’t need to work cheeks, forehead or mouth in order to lose weight there, and it won’t be effective in any case.

Genetics plays a role in determine the shape and fullness of one's face.
Genetics plays a role in determine the shape and fullness of one's face.

There are several supposed “proven” diets that are said to help reduce weight in the face and elsewhere. These advocate avoiding certain foods, like giving up all simple carbohydrates. In reality, dieting comes down to the simple step of eating fewer calories than the body expends. This often means that cutting down on calories and getting a little exercise will help promote weight loss at a slow pace. Yet it’s important not to cut down too much, as this can slow the metabolism and make it consume calories at a much slower rate.

In order to lose weight, caloric input needs to be less than caloric output.
In order to lose weight, caloric input needs to be less than caloric output.

Even when people are eating a healthy diet and exercising, there are some who appear to retain weight in the face, and this could be from several causes. Genetics and bone structure mean some people will have fuller and rounder faces than others do. This isn’t so much fat accumulation, but it can make a person’s face appear less thin than it truly is. Certain medications may also cause rounding of the face or even swelling of it. People who take prednisone for various conditions may get swollen round cheeks, and usually taking the medication is too valuable to sacrifice for appearance. Water retention may also make the face look fuller; making sure to reduce salt in the diet and drinking at least eight to ten glasses of water of day may slim the look of the face slightly.

Drinking eight glasses of water daily may help alleviate facial weight.
Drinking eight glasses of water daily may help alleviate facial weight.

For those who would like to have a slimmer face, it’s important to reflect that a small amount of extra weight in the face can be desirable too. Both women and men pay to have fat injected into the face to puff up lips or reduce wrinkles. This means that people should work to lose weight in healthy amounts. Overdoing it can make people look less youthful, and if the face looks too thin, dieters may want to conclude they should add a few more calories to their diets instead of continuing to lose weight.

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent WiseGEEK contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

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Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent WiseGEEK contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

Charlie89

Whenever I lose weight it seems to show up in my face first, not later.

TunaLine

How can I lose weight naturally in my face? I don't want to do a facelift or liposuction or anything, but I really want a thinner face for my prom!

I've been losing weight throughout my body, but I just can't seem so slim down my face.

Does anybody have any home remedies or good tips to help me lose my face weight quickly?

EarlyForest

I totally agree with the last paragraph of this article. Women look creepy when their faces get all bony. I think it's better to have a rounder face than one that's too thin.

I've noticed that often happens when people lose weight too fast -- so take it slow, ladies.

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    • Genetics plays a role in determine the shape and fullness of one's face.
      By: AlexandreNunes
      Genetics plays a role in determine the shape and fullness of one's face.
    • In order to lose weight, caloric input needs to be less than caloric output.
      By: sframe
      In order to lose weight, caloric input needs to be less than caloric output.
    • Drinking eight glasses of water daily may help alleviate facial weight.
      By: anyaivanova
      Drinking eight glasses of water daily may help alleviate facial weight.
    • People who take prednisone for various conditions might get swollen round cheeks, and usually taking the medication is too valuable to sacrifice for appearance.
      By: Thirteen Of Clubs
      People who take prednisone for various conditions might get swollen round cheeks, and usually taking the medication is too valuable to sacrifice for appearance.
    • Cutting down on calories and getting a little exercise will help promote weight loss at a slow pace.
      By: Andres Rodriguez
      Cutting down on calories and getting a little exercise will help promote weight loss at a slow pace.