Bone Smashing for Better Jawline - Don't Do This

A defined and sharp jawline gives a person a look that is associated with being powerful and youthful. A jawline with this look is sometimes the result of genetics while others have to turn to cosmetic surgery procedures such as fillers or liposuction or even shaving the jawline to achieve the desired look. Having said that, a current viral trend on TikTok is gaining popularity with some young men who are choosing to perform it in an attempt to improve the look of their jawline.

Before we tell you about this trend…. Let us also tell you in advance not to try this trend at home, at work, with friends, with family, or when you are alone and looking for things to do.

Seriously, we are warning you not to follow this trend. It is dangerous. It is painful. It can even be classified as being stupid.

In other words, please don’t make the decision to smash your face with a hammer.

Bone Smashing for Better Jawline – What Does it Involve?

One of the latest trends on TikTok is being accused of convincing an audience of mostly young men to actually break their bones in an attempt to gain a jawline that is chiseled in appearance.

The “bone smashing” trend is when a person repeatedly hits their bones with a hard object such as a hammer. The bones that are hit are usually the jawbones or cheekbones. The reason these bones are hit over and over is to create micro-fractures in them in the hope that the bone structure will later heal in a shape that is more aesthetically appealing and attractive.

Bone Smashing – Medical Expert Gives His Opinion

On TikTok, the hashtag #bonesmashing has over two hundred and sixty million views. The practice of “bone smashing” first went viral in 2018 and it appears to have made a comeback. While there are videos posted on the social media platform from people who claim they are taking part in the trend, the majority of the videos are from people who are against the idea of “bone smashing.”

In an online interview, a plastic surgeon from San Francisco said, “I honestly never thought I’d have to come on here and say this, but please don’t intentionally break the bones in your face. If you’re not given the genetics to have a [strong] jawline, unfortunately, you have to see a professional.” The doctor also shared the warning that the broken bones will heal on their own, but they will cause some amount of disfiguration if they do not heal correctly.

Bone Smashing – Theory Behind the Idea?

Even though “bone smashing” is a very bad idea, there are some people who connect the idea with a theory created in the 19th century that is known as Wolff’s Law.

Julius Wolff was a surgeon and anatomist who noted that bones change over the lifespan of a person which means they are not inanimate structures. Instead, Wolff said that bones remodel themselves in the body in response to stress they experience. Because of their ability to remodel in the body, Wolff insisted that the application of physical stress or force to the bones can actually grow the rate at which bones are able to remodel. In turn, this can result in bones that are stronger and thicker while a lack of stress on the bones leads to bones that are weak or thin.

This theory is not supported by some critics who have referred to “bone smashing,” and Wolff’s theory, as being an oversimplification of how bones work while also sometimes leading to issues with the bones that can last a lifetime. These critics also feel that the theory actually leans towards providing a reason for the benefits of weightlifting as it relates to the health of bones (as opposed to breaking bones on purpose for nothing more than aesthetic reasons).

Bone Smashing – Is it Real, a Meme, or Something Else?

On one online message board, a person asked if anyone had tried the trend on their body. “I’ve been punching my cheekbones 50 times each side daily for half a year now and I can notice a big difference also it improved my fist lately I’ve been smashing my jaw but it hurt my hand so I should go easier.”

While the poster of this message received some support, there were others who shared their views that the trend would not accomplish anything. One person said the poster of the message was only “torturing” himself while another person pointed out that the act of smashing the bones “was supposed to be a meme.”

It is hard to determine if the idea behind “bone smashing” is genuine or something that might be somewhere between a dare and a joke. The videos from the current trend on TikTok seem to come from a combination of people who believe the process of hitting themselves really hard for an extended period of time will work and others who seem to want to talk other people into trying “bone smashing.”

No matter which side of the “bone smashing” argument you fall on, the important thing to remember is not to try and smash the bones in your jaw (on purpose) for any reason.

- MA