Abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of daily one minute usage of BLAfit® (Bella Lip Appliance®, BLAfit Inc), a facial exercising device with built-in resistance on orobuccal muscles, as well as esthetic physical changes to the facial structure after one month. Twenty healthy female volunteers aged 18-57 participated in this research. Ten of the participants were placed in the study group and trained to use BLAfit® exercises for one minute a day for a period of one month and ten as control. The center of the philtrum of every subject was measured (landmark for measurement of orbicularis oris muscle) at the beginning and the conclusion of the experiment. Results indicated an average increase of muscle thickness of 0.626mm for the experimental population and a 0.021mm decrease in thickness for the control population. Non-parametric tests (Mann-Whitney U tests) showed a statistically significant (p<0.05) difference between the two final measurements. The results demonstrated that daily facial exercise with BLAfit® led to a significant increase of orobuccal muscle mass as compared to control as well as increased facial symmetry, reduction of jaw pain and headaches, reduction of snoring, and other favorable physical changes in the facial structure such as more protruded and pronounced cheekbones, more defined jawline, and reduction of jowls.
]]>Written by Authority Magazine - First Published on Medium.com
Be the best version of yourself, love and accept every perfection and imperfection of your body, and to be proud of your individuality and uniqueness. I believe beauty starts from the inside and everyone is beautiful in their own way.
I had the pleasure of interviewing Maryam Bakhtiyari, D.D.S. Board Certified Dentist and Founder of BLAfit™. Dr. Maryam is highly qualified in the field of functional orthodontics, TMJ, Sleep Apnea with over 15 years of post graduate studies and experience in those areas. She has been trained by some of the world renowned orthodontists and experts in the field of orthodontics and TMJ. In April of 2008, she became the first woman in the world that have ever become the Diplomate of International Board of Orthodontics. That will place her in the top 10% in the world. Her non-invasive treatment will separate her from the traditional orthodontists who will still extract teeth and use headgears, or treat with surgical intervention.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path? We all need a little help along the journey — who have been some of your mentors? Can you share a story about how they made an impact?
Myfather has always been my spiritual mentor and Wiseman. My journey to dental school was due mainly to his advice and support. I always knew that being a healer in the medical field was my passion, but never thought of dentistry as an option. Right after my Bachelors degree from UCLA, I met my father in Germany and spent a long week with him talking about different fields and he convinced me that since art and hand work was one of my talents, dentistry would be a great option for me. Additionally, not only would I be able to help and heal people, but I also get to use my artistic talent on daily basis to create beautiful smiles.
Can you tell our readers what it is about the work you’re doing that’s disruptive?
For years I created custom orthopedic retainers for patients of all ages suffering from mal-alignment of the upper and lower jaw. This allowed me to create beautiful broad smiles, improve the patency of their airway and free of Temporomandibular joints disorder.
My treatment was different from traditional orthodontics because it adapted a holistic approach to fix a crowded smile and bad posture. Even a patient who suffered from movement disorders caused by misalignment of upper and lower jaw, could use this treatment. Orthodontic treatment creates Beautiful smiles, but due to our modern diet, for example, juicing instead of chewing and fast food rich in Carbohydrates to mention few, etc., our facial muscles were sagging as a consequence. Since the functional orthodontic treatment does not solve facial muscular issues, I knew there was a need to create an appliance that was able to fill that gap, balance, harmonize facial muscles, lift the cheekbones, tighten the neck muscles and even plump up the lips while firming the face. I invented the BLAfit™ (Bella Lips Appliance®) device, tested and patented it. Results can only be obtained by daily facial exercise with the device, but if done daily it will deliver precise and effective built-in resistance, bringing out your best self.
The idea of a inventing a non-invasive and inexpensive facial device equivalent to a facelift will definitely be a disruptive to the cosmetic industry and deliver mind blowing results! It is revolutionary to the cosmetic industry to see a transformation of the facial outline, jawline, and lips that are better and more esthetically youthful in appearance without an invasive procedure or looking fake!
Can you share 3 of the best words of advice you’ve gotten along your journey? Please give a story or example for each.
The first important piece of advice is to always believe in yourself and have self-confidence. For an immigrant who came to this country at 15, it was very challenging to be able to fit in at a new high school. However, because of my upbringing and the self confidence that my father had instilled in me as a child, I was able to flourish in my high school and later in my career.
Secondly, I always remember where I came from and who was with me from the beginning. Often when someone succeeds in their career, they tend to forget where they came from and become separated from their roots. My parents always told me to be humble and never let money or success change my values, which I think is very important.
Thirdly, always stay focused and follow through with your ideas! As a child, my parents taught me to always finish a project I started. This lesson has been a game changer for me and my career. I tried my best to teach my kids the same and how to be able to stay focused.
How are you going to shake things up next?
In today’s society, social media has made a detrimental impact on young females by pressuring them to look like social media influencers. These young females all look the exact same, as if they were cloned from the same factory. To achieve the look they undergo: heavy makeup, micro-bladed eyebrows, Botox injections, lip fillers, facial cosmetic enhancements, breast augmentation, rhinoplasty, liposuction, and many other procedures. These trends have created young individuals to have a low self-esteem and self-confidence. Social media has shifted the perception of what a ‘natural female’ should look like. My philosophy has always been to be the best version of yourself, love and accept every perfection and imperfection of your body, and to be proud of your individuality and uniqueness. I believe beauty starts from the inside and everyone is beautiful in their own way.
Due to this dangerous trend, I decided to start a movement called the “Natural Me Movement.” This movement is to teach and educate everyone to love themselves and to be the best version of themselves. In order to naturally look your best, you need to eat healthy, practice your spirituality, and exercise your body and your face.
Do you have a book/podcast/talk that’s had a deep impact on your thinking? Can you share a story with us?
My favorite author was Deepak Chopra and the book “The seven spiritual laws of success.” I read this book right after graduating from dental school and it reminded me of the advice my dad gave me as a child. The power of pure potentiality is my favorite law of success and has helped me stay true to myself and have no fear of rejection by others.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
One of my life goals is to be able to bring awareness at a national level for airway screening for the elementary students alongside their vision and hearing screening.
We screen every child in public and private schools for vision and hearing since those two senses effect the performance of the children, however there isn’t much being done to check to see if a child can breathe or not. If a child has collapsed or narrowed upper airway either due to big tonsils or upper jaw distortion then he or she cannot stay focused in school and may be hyperactive. Thus it is very crucial for children to be screened at early age so they can be given the gift of oxygenation and unnecessary medications.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
My favorite life lesson quote is to “never give-up on your dreams.” When I was studying to become board certified and diplomat of International Board of Orthodontics, a male dominant society, I had all the preparations and cases to present and was ready for the written test. I passed the written test on the first time, but the case presentation was not accepted based on some unreasonable excuses. A few months later, I attempted it again and failed. I was sure by then that the male dominant society was not accepting of a female to be in the highest tier. As someone who never gives up, and always is outspoken, I prepared again, registered for the test and this time, I returned victories. I became the first female diplomat and board certified of International Board of Orthodontics since then. This situation was a true testimony of perseverance.
Thank you for all of these great insights!
Read this article where it was first published on Medium.com
Translate:
Jackeline Cacho each week presents immigrants who are making a difference, today she presents Dr. Maryam Bakhtiyari, a dentist recognized as the first woman in the world, certified by the Board of Orthodontists, for more than 25 years helping our community to have an understanding that our whole body is connected. Creator of an innovative appliance "Yoga for the face" BLAFIT, which promises to strengthen facial muscles and create more volume on our lips in an organic way.
]]>As needles and filler lose their allure, women are now finding smoother skin and a defined jaw naturally. Lifting and firming the musculature of the face with noninvasive techniques offers an effective, lasting solution for the droops and jowls of time. Resistance training for the facial muscles is an obvious but overlooked remedy. Yoga for the face serves the same purpose as for the body: firming, tightening, adding volume, and providing fullness. The BLAfit Exerciser, a facial fitness tool that targets crucial muscles through calculated resistance, creates symmetry while aligning and strengthening underused anchor muscles. Dr. Maryam Bakhtiyari, a pioneer in the field of orthodontics and a diplomate in cranial facial pain, developed BLAfit after studying the positive effects of tightening the inner and outer muscles that support facial structure, from the eye orbits to the jawline.
“In my orthodontic practice, I see the transformational results that can be achieved by fixing the anatomical problem,” said Dr. Maryam. “Facial muscles are quite small, so even a minimal amount of exercise, a minute a day, yields big results. When we reach to brush and floss, we should also reach to support our facial muscles with BLAfit exercises. It’s a simple solution that yields dramatic results.”
New technology has also opened the door to noninvasive treatments like Emsculpt, which induces powerful muscle contractions to force muscle tissue to remodel and resculpt deep layers of targeted muscle groups. Yet another breakthrough device, the Emtone, emits radiofrequency and targeted pressure energy to firm the body, building elastin and collagen while breaking down cellulite within the dermis. Patients can find a noninvasive solution to cellulite reduction and overall skin appearance using the thermal technology of Emsculpt and Emtone, with no downtime and FDA-proven results.
From top to bottom, muscle tone is the new direction for improving appearance and lifestyle. Kegelbell, a device designed to strengthen vaginal muscles, has far greater range than just adding zip to your sex life (although that is a well-earned benefit!). The device also improves pelvic floor function to ameliorate bladder leakage by toning critical muscles, tones laxity in vaginal muscles due to childbirth and ameliorates dryness by strengthening muscles that need to self-lubricate.
With a host of new alternatives on the market, improving muscle tone for function and appearance no longer requires drastic measures. Medically proven innovations like BLAfit, Emsculpt and Emtone, and Kegelbell are efficient, effective, and yield natural results. Importantly, the muscle-building techniques restore natural musculature and an authentic appearance, without drastically altering the anatomy of the face or body. What is even better for beauty consumers is that these revolutionary new treatments largely fit in the palm of the hand.
Bella Lip Appliance™ is the brainchild of Dr. Maryam Bakhtiyari — renowned general dentist with extensive experience in orthodontics. The UCLA graduate with a degree in biochemistry and recipient of a Doctor of Dental Surgery from the University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, invented a patented new beauty product that plumps lips and firms skin as a result of research of solve sleep apnea and TMJ pain.
Placed between the lips, hugging the lips, the BLA’s One-Minute Beauty Fitness System promotes stretching exercises for fuller lips, firmer skin and stronger jawline for men and women.
The face has 57 muscles that can be worked out just like your body. The Bella Lip Appliance® is approved by the FDA for the material and is offered in various shades, made in the USA with medical grade material which is BPA free. Results are usually seen immediately after first set of exercises but as with any workouts the repetition will form and strengthen the facial and lip muscles.
BLA Fit's™ patented facial exercise system tightens and firms the muscles under the surface of your skin to achieve natural looking volume. It adds subtle fullness to the lips, decreases the look of fine lines, and restores the face — firmer and younger looking.
Aging causes volume loss which causes lips to thin out. Facial exercise adds volume back and testimonials testify to BLA's results in just a minute a day. In addition to a proper skincare regimen and use of the BLA product, always be sure to drink a lot of water to keep your skin looking youthful and healthy. And remember to wear sunscreen or a tinted moisturizer sunscreen, to preserve your skin.
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