Facial muscles are unique in that the muscles attach directly to the skin through connective tissue. This allows for facial expressions as the muscle pulls on the skin to create dynamic expression lines.
The intention of Frownies Facial Patches is to immobilize the underlying facial muscles through their unique design of weighted paper and water-activated plant-based adhesive. Frownies Facial Patches create a cast to prevent the facial muscles from moving; therefore, allowing the skin to smooth out over a relaxed muscle. Over time, Frownies help retrain the facial muscles to relax, release tension, and lay flat.
Similarly, Botox is administered using the same principle of immobilizing more than one muscle. For example, to relax the 11 lines of the glabellar region between the eyebrows, the neurotoxin is injected into at least five different locations. Whether the muscle is immobilized through injectables or through non-invasive topical patches, smooth muscles result in smooth skin.
FAQ: Why do I need to cover my whole forehead in patches?
Helen Morrison, the great-great-granddaughter of the inventor of Frownies Facial Patches and the current face of the brand across social media platforms recommends applying the facial patches over the entire forehead which she calls a “full forehead cast” – from hairline to browline, including between the eyebrows, and from temple to temple, which may also include a patch at the corner of the eyes to address any crow’s feet.
Helen describes the reasoning for the full forehead cast in this way – If you were to break your wrist, you wouldn’t just have a cast around the fracture line. In order to fully immobilize the bone, the cast would extend to cover adjacent bones, including up to your elbow and down to your hand.
Frownies customers have lovingly called this full forehead cast their Wonder Woman crown. And we love that sentiment as it aligns with our mission to “Honor, Embrace, and Celebrate… Being a woman!”
Check out this video for a demonstration on how to apply Frownies Facial Patches.
FAQ: Why don’t you just make one giant forehead patch?
- Every forehead is shaped differently! In order to cover the entire area – from hairline to browline, including between the eyebrows, and from temple to temple, which may also include a patch at the corner of the eyes to address any crow’s feet – you need to be able to customize the placement of the patches to your own unique forehead.
- For a proper application of Frownies Facial Patches, the skin needs to be held taut to eliminate the expression line as the patch is applied with the other hand. It would be nearly impossible to hold a giant patch that would cover the whole forehead area.
- Overlapping patches reinforces the integrity of the full forehead cast, making it stronger and preventing facial movement underneath the patches.
- Overlapping patches also eliminates creases that could be caused by gaps between the patches.
By: Dr. Megan C. Wright, PT, DPT
Megan C. Wright, PT, DPT is an authority in health and wellness content with over ten years of clinical experience as well as a freelance health writer. Megan received a BA in English from the University of Virginia and earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy from Marymount University. Megan lives outside Richmond, Virginia with her husband and three young boys.