Bone smashing is the latest troubling social media trend that claims you can reshape your facial bones through blunt force. Advocates say repeatedly striking your face can make bones grow along stress lines, like working out your muscles. But as a plastic surgeon, I'm here to tell you bone smashing is ineffective for facial enhancement and may cause serious harm. Keep reading to learn the truth about this misguided practice.
Bone smashing involves using your knuckles or other hard objects to apply focused pressure on facial bones. The goal is to break down and rebuild facial bone for a more angular, masculine appearance.
Videos demonstrate techniques like pressing knuckles along the brow ridge and cheekbones. Proponents claim this stimulates osteoblasts to grow bone along stress lines, reshaping the facial skeleton.
Explanations of the mechanism behind bone smashing refer to Wolff's law, which states that bone remodels and strengthens under mechanical loading. By smashing your face, they believe you can build thicker, stronger facial bones. But the comparison to weightlifting is dangerously misguided, as I'll explain.
There are several reasons why bone smashing fails as a facial enhancement technique:
Let's look at these reasons more closely.
Wolff's law requires controlled, cyclic loading along stress lines to thicken bone. Think targeted resistance exercise.
Bone smashing is sporadic, undirected trauma. There's no control over where microfractures and swelling occur. You can't reshape bone predictably like working out muscles.
Smashing may microfracture facial bones, but not along defined lines matching your desired end-result. Such uncontrolled injuries cause haphazard areas of swelling and thickening.
Rather than activating bone-building osteoblasts, bone smashing triggers swelling and inflammation from soft tissue trauma.
Repeated blunt force damages blood vessels, leading to fluid build-up and oedema. It can also cause microtears in facial muscles and damage to the facial fat pads.
At best, minor microfractures may heal with added mineralisation. But swelling and scar tissue are more likely outcomes than symmetrical "bone gains".
Even if minor thickening occurs in some areas, the random tissue damage won't lead to enhanced symmetry and proportions.
Irregular bone swelling and lumpy scar tissue can worsen facial contours. And trauma won't selectively target your desired goals like a stronger jaw or brow.
Anatomical enhancement requires careful surgical techniques based on facial analysis - not guesswork with a hammer - as surgeons, we rely on 3D reconstruction from detailed scans and precision instruments to carefully shape facial bones and soft tissues.
The facial skeleton contains thin, fragile bones vulnerable to breakage under blunt force. Fracturing the orbital, nasal or zygomatic bones can require reconstructive surgery.
Repeated striking also gradually weakens bone integrity. Hairline fractures and cracks increase the risk of major traumatic breaks further down the line.
These fractures heal with thickened bone tissue, but in an uncontrolled, asymmetrical manner. The end result is disfigurement rather than enhanced aesthetics.
Hopefully you now understand why bone smashing is a dangerous DIY practice unlikely to improve your facial structure. But if you're seeking facial enhancement, there are effective options available:
These treatments require an expert eye for facial aesthetics from an experienced plastic or maxillofacial surgeon, and when applied with surgical precision, can safely enhance your bone structure and proportions.
Such procedures need to be carefully tailored based on advanced facial analysis - not crude guesswork with a hammer. So instead of smashing your face and hoping for the best, talk to a qualified Plastic or Maxillofacial surgeon. A responsible expert will guide you through suitable options to achieve your aesthetic goals safely and effectively.
Don't attempt dangerous DIY techniques like bone smashing. Trust proven medical practices designed to carefully improve your facial features.
I hope this overview equips you with the facts to avoid experimenting with bone smashing. No trending internet challenge is worth the risk of permanent disfigurement. Seek a qualified plastic surgeon's advice instead to map an effective path to achieving your aesthetic goals safely. Contact us for more information and to update your profile.
