A small study of facial exercise

A 2018 study in JAMA Dermatology reported improved cheek fullness among the 16 women who completed a 20-week facial-exercise programme. It had no control group, and 11 of the 27 enrolled participants did not complete it. The findings warrant further research; they do not establish that the same results will occur for other people or programmes.

Read the study in JAMA Dermatology

The wider picture

A 2025 systematic review examined 12 studies involving 321 women across facial exercise, myofunctional therapy and massage. It found that small samples and differences between studies limited the conclusions. Evidence remained insufficient to establish cosmetic effectiveness with confidence.

THREE QUESTIONS TO BRING TO A STUDY

  1. 01

    Who took part?

    Look at the sample size, who completed it and who did not.

  2. 02

    What was compared?

    A comparison group helps separate possible effects from other changes.

  3. 03

    What was measured?

    Check the outcome, the method and how long the study lasted.

A useful finding still has limits. These studies did not test Sculpd.

Read the review in Aesthetic Surgery Journal Open Forum

The dose studied is not our lesson

The JAMA pilot studied women aged 40 to 65 with mild to moderate facial ageing. Participants learned a 32-exercise programme, then practised for 30 minutes daily for eight weeks and every other day through week 20. That regimen differs substantially from our short browser familiarisation. The study cannot validate our pacing, a five-second hold or an appearance claim for Sculpd.

Our timing is an authoring choice

Daily Flow offers one 20-second cycle: 4 seconds to settle, 4 to form a small smile, 4 to soften and 8 to rest. This gives space to read and observe, not a treatment dose. Frequency and progression have not been clinically established for this lesson.

Why rehabilitation examples do not transfer

Cambridge University Hospitals lip exercises are speech and language therapy guidance, including five-second holds. Rehabilitation instructions for a specific clinical context do not substantiate cosmetic training or Sculpd's timings. NIDCR's TMD guidance discusses reducing jaw clenching; we therefore do not make forceful clenching a default exercise.

What this means for Sculpd

These papers did not study Sculpd. Sculpd has not been clinically tested, and a clear demonstration is not proof of a cosmetic result. Our focus is on understanding a movement and reflecting on a comfortable practice. Timer completion, self-reported follow-along and notes are the only progress recorded; we do not infer muscle strength or an appearance outcome.

If facial movement causes pain, stop. For advice following a procedure or about a medical condition, speak to your treating clinician before starting facial exercise.