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Like many people, you might be wondering: Can you use a massage gun on your face? While we don’t recommend a DIY massage gun for face treatments, some workarounds and new devicesmake it possible.
In this article, we discuss the important dos and don’ts of facial massage and explore the exciting new TheraFace PRO device.
This article has been written by a practicing physiotherapist, Dr. Alex Stone, DPT. It has not been reviewed by a medical doctor (MD).
You are responsible for your health and health choices. You should always check with your trusted medical doctor before trying any advice regarding your health.
That said, rest assured that the information in this post is trustworthy as we always review several sources to ensure we’re providing the most correct and up-to-date information possible.
Why Facial Massage?
Did you know that stress is very closely related to muscle pains and headaches?
Many people find themselves under too much stress from work or life in general, and a big consequence of that is muscle tension throughout the body.
Many of us understand that muscle tension in the neck and shoulders can cause neck pain and headaches, but most people aren’t aware that muscle tension can also be held in the muscles of the face.
Constant excess tension in facial muscles can lead to problems like temporomandibular disorder (TMD) and earlier signs of aging1.
One simple approach to minimizing tension in the face is facial massage. Facial massage comes in many forms, but it’s traditionally done using finger pressure at various points on the forehead, temples, and jaw to help the muscles of the face relax2.
Let’s briefly talk about some anatomy before we go any further.
Important Muscles of the Face
While there are over 20 muscles in your face (40, if you count both sides), a few key muscles are prone to cause problems with excessive tension3.
Masseter This large muscle is located on the side of your jaw and is responsible for closing your jaw. It’s essential for activities like talking and chewing, but under excessive tension, it can lead to jaw clenching, which can contribute to jaw pain and headaches.
Frontalis This thin muscle is located along the front of your forehead. Its job is to raise your eyebrows and wrinkle the skin of your forehead. We use it all the time to communicate our emotions, but overusing it can cause tension problems and excessive wrinkling of the forehead skin.
Temporalis This fan-shaped muscle is located on the side of your head, just above your jaw. Its main job is to help the masseter coordinate the closing of the jaw. Much like the masseter, excessive tension contributes to jaw pain and headaches.
It’s worth noting that there are some other major players in jaw tension and headaches, but because those muscles are internal (inside the mouth), we won’t talk about them here.
So, what about using massage gun on face?
Is it Safe to Use Massage Gun on Face?
Many people have been reaching for their massage guns and punching their faces in attempts to relieve their jaw tension and headaches. We’re here to tell you that we don’t recommend it, and you may end up doing more harm than good.
Massage guns are powerful devices designed to give deep-tissue massage to large muscle groups. They’re just too powerful to safely and gently massage the muscles of your face.
Many devices simply have too much amplitude – the distance traveled by the head during each percussion – to massage your face without risking injury.
In fact, we specifically advise against using one of the most popular brands for this purpose: Theragun.
Can You Use Theragun on Face?
Using Theragun on your face is not a good idea. Higher-end Theragun massage guns are punchy with an industry-leading 16mm amplitude, and this is more-than-enough to leave you with a bruised face or stress fractures if used on the more sensitive areas of your face.
Theragun on Face? It’s not a good idea. Prime, Elite, and Pro have 16mm stroke lengths—too much!
Many massage gun brands have developed softer attachments for more sensitive body areas in recent years. These attachments are great for small users, our seniors, or those recovering from injuries, but they are still not designed for use on the muscles of the face.
Even if a whole-body massager device claims it’s safe as a facial massager gun, we haven’t seen one yet, and we can’t recommend safely using it.
The 16mm head travel distance is just too much for the face – don’t risk an injury.
At this point, you might be thinking: “What about a miniature massage gun for face? Those are less powerful and probably won’t hurt my face, and it can be a proper face massager gun, right?“
Unfortunately, most miniature device options still have an amplitude of 6-8mm, which is still too large for a safe facial massage.
Additionally, their attachments still aren’t designed for the specific purpose of facial massage and are too firm/large to do the job safely.
Some people have been experimenting with vibrational devices like the AddFit Mini, Lifepro DynaMini, and the Bob and Brad Q2. These might be safer than many other device options, but we recommend being extremely cautious or completely avoiding using these devices as if they were a massage gun for face. Safety first!
So, if a massage gun on face isn’t recommended, where can you start?
Facial Massage Techniques without A Massage Gun on Face
Don’t worry, you can still significantly reduce muscle tension in your face by performing manual facial massage. Here are some basic techniques for massaging the major face muscles listed above:
Masseter Start by finding the bony notch just in front of your ear. Using your index and middle fingers, go just below that notch and apply light pressure inward. For increased pressure, use your thumbs.
Frontalis Rest your index and middle fingers just above your eyebrows. Applying light pressure to your forehead, move in small circles. Slowly work your way up toward your scalp, then return to the starting position and repeat.
Temporalis Return to the notch before your ear, then move slightly upward to the temples. Using the tips of your middle three fingers, apply light pressure and move in small circles.
TIP: For best results, visit your trusted massage therapist who specializes in facial massage, so you get all the facial massage benefits.
If you experience severe jaw pain or clicking/clunking during movement, schedule an evaluation with a physiotherapist specializing in TMD. They can perform special manual techniques to improve your symptoms and teach you techniques to relieve pain and tension at home.
In the case of teeth grinding (bruxism), be sure to visit your dentist and wear a mouth guard if recommended to protect your teeth at night during sleep.
A professional massage therapist performing a facial head massage.
But there may be a new beauty massager that finally checks all the boxes for facial massage.
TheraFace PRO: A Proper Face Massager Gun
The all-new TheraFace PRO from Theragun is the first and one of the few massage guns specialized for your face.
We recently reviewed it comprehensively and were seriously impressed by its capabilities. It’s a cleverly designed all-in-one spa device that really screams premium.
In addition to percussion massage, the device has:
Even better, this device can perform percussion massage and other treatments (LED therapy, hot/cold) simultaneously, saving you some serious time and effort during your self-care routine.
The reason we like the TheraFace PRO is because it was designed specifically for use on the small, delicate features of the face.
Specifically, this device has an amplitude of 3mm, versus the 12mm amplitude of their Mini, or the 16mm amplitude of their larger models (i.e., Prime, Elite, and Pro).
A smaller amplitude has been paired with three smaller, softer attachments to better contour the features of the face—this is a first for the industry, and it makes a difference. Interestingly, the percussions per minute haven’t changed on this device, and it boasts the same 1750-2400 RPM as its predecessors.
In our experience, when using the percussion massage feature, jaw stiffness was greatly reduced after one session. What’s more, we felt more relaxed with increased skin warmth (probably from increased blood flow).
As with other body parts, the best results come with regular use of the facial massager gun. To make it easy, Theragun has added some routines for their device in their app, which we think are worth checking out.
Out of the box, this massage gun for face is light (only 0.61 lbs), compact, and very quiet. The device feels premium in the hand and is designed with great attention to detail.
Overall, this is an expensive device, but it does its job very well, is a proper face gun massager, and we think it’s worth the price tag.
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It’s likely that competitors will mimic this device and create more affordable options in the future, but for now, this is the best and only way to go for a device that offers safe and effective facial massage.
Their facial massager gun is an all-in-one spa device to take care of your face.
Massage Gun on Face – Final Words
We hope this article clears up some of the confusion regarding the ‘massage gun on face‘ debate. While there are many great uses for traditional massage guns, facial massage is not one of them, and should be avoided entirely for safety.
Instead of breaking out the big guns, we recommend using gentle options, such as your hands, and applying facial massage techniques. If you’ve tried that and need more help, visit a massage therapist, physiotherapist, or trusted doctor.
For those willing to invest in their skin care routine, we recommend the TheraFace PRO for a premium all-in-one massage + face massager gun.
Have you tried this device out? Tell us about your experience in the comments!
Thanks for reading!
References
1.
Graff-Radford S, Abbott J. Temporomandibular Disorders and Headache. Oral Maxillofac Surg Clin North Am. 2016;28(3):335-349. doi:10.1016/j.coms.2016.03.004
2.
Miernik M, Wieckiewicz M, Paradowska A, Wieckiewicz W. Massage therapy in myofascial TMD pain management. Adv Clin Exp Med. 2012;21(5):681-685. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23356206
Here's a quick rundown of all the tweaks and edits we've made to this article to keep it accurate and up-to-date!
Current version.
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Written by:
Dr. Alex Stone, DPT, CSCS
Dr. Alex Stone, DPT, CSCS
Alex Stone is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (NSCA). He currently practices orthopedics in Bellevue Washington and manages an online health coaching business via social media (@dr.alexstone). He is passionate about health science education and general health/wellness optimization.
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