Baby Boomers everywhere are searching for the Fountain of Youth and they have been looking in all the wrong places!

Men and women born between 1946 and 1964 are facing the most arduous and difficult challenge of their existence– the challenge of growing older while maintaining their youthful essence that stems from the Flower Power era.

The fitness craze that began with Jack LaLanne in the 60′s has mushroomed to encompass many avenues and modalities of boomers seeking better biceps and rock hard abs. After years of working out, running, lifting, bicycling, tennis and more, these die-hard seekers of youth are still seeking something greater that will keep them looking younger than their years because their faces have not enjoyed the benefit of exercise. A toned, healthy looking body does not produce a toned, healthy looking face.

The crusade to look young has been lead by women; they embraced skin care products early on and they have continued to act as guinea pigs for the drug companies and plastic surgeons by allowing new products and procedures to be practiced and tested on them. Whether the procedure is strings embedded in the face, paralyzing injections or fillers; long term affects are unknown. The media’s fascination with looking young has fueled women’s desires making surgery and injections glamorized, sensationalized and well publicized.

The men have been slowly lured to join women into actively using skin care, hair dye and even plastic surgery. The metro-sexual males now frequent salons and spas on a regular basis for facials, hair removal techniques, massage and dermabrasion. Why? Who wants to look old and used-up? No one raised their hand.

This full-court push for youthfulness has no end in sight. More than ever we read statistics that demonstrate how millions and millions of dollars are spent each year trying to catch the elusive “young” gene. Some ads even suggest paying for these expensive, risky and temporary procedures with a second mortgage and maxed out credit cards; after all, with the average procedure nearing $25,000, not everyone has the kind of disposable income available that can buy a new face.

Facial plastic surgery is a temporary and very risky procedure. Plastic surgery requires frequent updating and even when the surgery goes well, the patient may not like what they see. Considering these surgical procedures are voluntary, it is frightening that people consent to them knowing that scarring and nerve damage occurs with every procedure. Blood clots, infection and irregular bleeding are also common side effects associated with surgery.

Injections, too, are temporary and made from chemicals that have no long-term test results. How many injections are too many? It is reported that patients sometime have more than one doctor injecting substances on a regular basis resulting in double the prescribed amounts recommended.

Facials do make the skin look cleaner and healthier but are you under the misconception that facials and chemical peels can correct a sagging double chin or heavy eyelids?

Plastic surgeries, facials, peels, or injections will not stop the root cause of aging.

The root cause of facial aging begins with sagging facial muscles. Yes, there is aging due to sun exposure; it typically begins to show up about the same time that your muscles are affected by the downward pull of gravity. This means that over time, your skin and facial features will be adversely affected resulting in the look of old.

That’s right…as we mature we begin to resemble our mothers, fathers, grandparents, Aunt Hilda and Uncle Bernard. The facial muscles lose their tone and resiliency; in fact, by age 55, the muscles in your face may have already elongated by one-half inch. This means your face is sagging, pooling downward, making you look old and tired.

There is a solution. Sagging facial muscles can be remedied using specialized isometric contractions that work to plump up those small, wayward muscles. Muscles thrive when blood flow is increased – think of curling your arm using a dumbbell – after 5 to 8 reps, you feel the muscles respond. Couple the resistance with contraction and your face responds by lifting. In just minutes a day, you can pro-actively give yourself a youthful face just by exercising it.

The great part about using this type of exercise, rather than contortions, scrunches and puckers, is that these unique moves work for everyone. That’s right, when the exercises are performed regularly, you will see a visible difference that is better looking than a surgical facelift.. Your face will tighten and your skin will thicken.

It just makes sense. When you tone and sculpt your body with Pilates, weight and resistance training, you are proud of your new look. The same goes for your face. When you see and feel the lifting, your confidence soars!

Cynthia Rowland is widely recognized as an expert in all natural facial fitness with over thirty years experience in health & beauty related fields. She has appeared on The View, NBC 4, Fit TV, HGTV and other popular shows. This author, speaker and television personality is leading the crusade to keep men and women looking vibrantly younger through natural techniques without spending their children’s inheritance.