By Susan Schwartz
With Kim Kardashian’s “face wrap” selling out in its first week, it’s time to look at non-surgical treatments designed to snatch your jawline and hopefully not just your money.
They probably won’t have you resembling a chiselled Roman statue, but they can tone, tighten and de-puff your face into a healthier look – like you got some sleep and drank water all week. And the best part is you don’t have to go under the knife:
Let’s start with Kim’s Skims Seamless Sculpt Face Wrap, a compression bandage that is supposedly infused with collagen yarns, and promises to “lift and contour” your jawline overnight. It’s not a long-term fix, but it gets 10 out of 10 for bringing the drama to your night-time routine. And it certainly brought the drama to social media this week, with every “expert” chiming in.
Here is a round-up of other treatments available – some new and some from an ancient time long forgotten – all with varying levels of results. It’s where science, skincare, and TikTok collide.
First up is Ultertherapy which uses focused ultrasound energy to heat the deepest layers of your skin. The idea is to prompt collagen production in places where needles can’t reach. It’s approved by the US Federal Drug Administration, and often referred to as a “non-surgical facelift.” But it is expensive and can take a while to fully kick in.
Radiofrequency or RF treatments also use heat in the form of radiofrequency energy to stimulate collagen production in the more superficial layers of the skin.
Microneedling creates tiny punctures or holes in the skin to trick the body into sending a rescue mission to heal the wounds and stimulate collagen production. Just don’t DIY this one.
Jaw Sharpeners, Jaw Shapers, Jawzrsize – call it what you will, the theory is that you chomp on a lump of silicone designed to tone and strengthen the 57 muscles across your jaw and neck.
Face Yoga involves facial exercises, but without the props. Instead there are facial manoeuvres like “kiss the ceiling,” or “blowfish cheeks,” designed to tone the muscles in your face. Proponents say it improves muscle tone, reduces tension, and helps lymphatic flow.
Mewing is often associated with Face Yoga, because it involves pressing the tongue against the roof of the mouth in an attempt to reshape the jawline. It has become a viral sensation with billions of Tick Tock views recently, even though it was invented more than 50 years ago by John Mew, a British orthodontist who was struck from the dental register last year.
Another old-fashioned method is simple facial massage and lymphatic drainage massage which are designed to target lymph nodes to improve circulation and drain toxins to help reduce puffiness and inflammation.
In recent years, it’s become popular to use a Gua sha or roller to aid lymphatic drainage. The ancient Chinese medicine technique uses a jade or rose quartz stone tool to assist with circulation and lymphatic drainage.
And of course, we all know someone who has had injectable treatments. That’s because they provide instant results without downtime. Dermal fillers can add volume and lift sagging skin, while Botox relaxes muscles and reduces the appearance of jowls.
