TikTok is often a rich source of wellness and beauty inspiration, with many users sharing their tips and tricks on how to care for your skin. The latest trend is facial yoga – promising to tone the skin and reduce the signs of ageing.

Having accumulated thousands of views on the social media platform, the treatment is being used worldwide. However, Dr. Akis Ntonos, co-founder of Aion Aesthetics and partner with Certainly Health, has warned that – despite the supposed benefits of the trend – it doesn’t actually do much in the long term for your skin and can actually inadvertently worsen wrinkles.

Dr Ntonos said: “While many celebrities and people in the aesthetics world have promoted facial yoga for years—with many engaging in the popular trend—it’s one of those things that ultimately seems like a gimmick. It’s trendy for a while and then fades out and doesn’t really have much medical benefit.

“Not only that, but the term ‘yoga’ implies that the trend is supposed to be soothing and relaxing, while having a tonne of wellness benefits. But stretching and pinching the skin in this way can feel uncomfortable and actually worsen skin conditions rather than improve them.

“For example, for those who suffer from acne-prone skin or redness, touching the face consistently may exacerbate the spread of acne-inducing bacteria. What’s more, this trend is supposed to help with wrinkles, but massaging and manipulating the skin in this way can actually have the opposite effect.

“Stretching the skin, especially around the eyes, which are thinner and more sensitive to sagging as we get older, will only enhance wrinkles.”

With that all said, people will be wondering if there are better ways to get these promised results without having the worry that stretching and pulling their skin about

The doctor said that, for people wanting an alternative solution to get these promised results, they should consider something that has been around for decades. He said: “Doing facial yoga every day isn’t really going to do much for the skin on its own, so for effective, longer-term solutions to treat wrinkles, you should consider Botox.

“Botox is a safe and minimally invasive, temporary treatment that can help to reduce ageing and enhance a person’s natural beauty. Not only that, but unlike trends such as facial yoga, most procedures for Botox are pain-free and have lasting effects for three to six months, which helps boost your self-esteem and confidence.

“You can also get advice from qualified medical professionals who will be able to discuss your skin type and administer any procedures safely, so you avoid worsening pre-existing skin conditions.“

The NHS states that treatments like Botox are classified as prescription-only medications. This means they can only be prescribed following a consultation with a healthcare professional, such as a doctor or nurse.

It’s important to note that the individual administering the injections doesn’t have to be the same person who wrote the prescription. However, the prescriber is responsible for ensuring that the injector is properly trained and qualified.

Additionally, the NHS offers a range of guidance for those thinking about cosmetic procedures. This includes whether it’s suitable for them, if it’s accessible through the NHS or not and how to choose the right practitioner for the job.