Your Commute Is Making Your Face Sag

That dead-eyed stare you have on the morning train? Turns out it's literally dragging your face down.

I was feeling pretty good about myself until a friend tagged me in a photo from last weekend's nomikai. There I was, wedged between two fresh-faced 22-year-old coworkers, looking... distinguished. And by distinguished, I mean it looked like my face was melting. We're all living the same life, eating the same konbini snacks, so why did my jawline look like it was giving up? I figured it was just age, but a Japanese doctor says there's more to it.

It’s not (just) you, it’s gravity

Apparently, one of the biggest culprits is something we all do for at least two hours a day: staring down at our phones. Look around you on the Yamanote line. Every single person's head is bowed, chin to chest, paying respects to the gods of TikTok and LINE. That constant downward pull, day after day, year after year, puts a huge strain on your skin and the muscles underneath. Gravity is, as they say, undefeated.

The face workout you’re not getting

Remember how for two years we all hid behind masks? Our facial expressions basically went into retirement. Add to that the standard-issue 'muhyojo' (無表情) or expressionless face you have to maintain in the office so as not to cause a fuss. It turns out that not using your face muscles causes them to weaken. Just like your abs after a winter of kotatsu and Pocky, the muscles that hold your face up get lazy and everything starts to... slide south. 😵

And then there's the weather… indoors

Of course, the classic villains are still at play. The summer sun is trying to destroy us all, that's a given. But the real sneak attack comes from the office air conditioner. You know the one. It's set to a brisk 18°C from June to September, and it feels like it's actively sucking all the moisture out of the air, your skin, and your soul. That kind of extreme dryness kills your skin’s elasticity, making it look tired and saggy.

So now I find myself trying to practice big, exaggerated smiles in the reflection of the train window. The salaryman sitting opposite me looks a little concerned.