Methods of the Manic: A Look into Looksmaxxing
By Alana Tang
Does your jawline define your future? Which is more effective, bone smashing or gua sha? Most importantly, is it possible to attain the status of True Adam with a negative canthal tilt?
Social media has become saturated with this content, dubbed “looksmaxxing,” which revolves primarily around how its consumers can improve their appearance and employs toxic motivation.
Those with certain facial structures are assigned labels, from being degraded to “sub-human” or “LTN” (low-tier normie) to idolized as “True Adam” or a “Chad.” Many looksmaxxers take desperate measures to avoid negative labels, begging the question: what is too much?
In the looksmaxxing community, procedures such as gua sha, limb lengthening surgeries, or even bone smashing exercises are commonly discussed. Yet to many looksmaxxers, the true efficacy and impact of these techniques are a mystery.
Gua sha stems from traditional Chinese practices, and its main subgroup of facial massages have maintained credibility across millennia and continents. Scraping the face with a smooth object such as a stone is believed to reshape the face over time as the user desires.
Initially, gua sha may lead to temporary redness or tenderness; however, in the long run, data suggests that gua sha positively impacts facial muscles.
Referring to the study “Comparative Effects of Facial Roller and Gua Sha Massage on Facial Contour, Muscle Tone, and Skin Elasticity: Randomized Controlled Trial” spearheaded by Sun-hee Ahn, the pressure and continuous motion used with gua sha “activates mechanoreceptors in muscle tissue, leading to reduced tone through neuromuscular mechanisms.”
Essentially, the sensation of gua sha on the face registers in facial muscle cells, and that sensation is communicated to the brain. With continued use, the targeted facial muscles are then “trained” to slim down, contouring the face.
Gua sha has a relatively clean track record regarding safety; aside from potential bruising from excessive pressure or infections from dirty tools, there have been few confirmed ramifications.
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for limb lengthening surgeries, a looksmaxxing strategy that is used by looksmaxxers to counter a small stature rather than treat any conditions.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, in a limb lengthening operation, the bone that should be extended is cut into two pieces, and either an external fixator (metal frame that extends outside of the body) or internal rod (device placed inside the bone) is attached to the bone.
The next phase is called the bone distraction phase, where the bones are pulled apart by the external fixator or internal rod as they heal. This results in new bone growing into the gap, lengthening the limb.
While the surgery does cause an increase in height, it comes with undeniable health risks outside of the long and painful healing process. The risk of muscle and nerve damage, joint stiffness, or inadequate bone hardness all threaten to render the surgery useless and leave the patient in a wheelchair.
In a similar vein, bone smashing also touts more risk than reward.
The theory behind bone smashing stems from Wolff’s Law, which in the words of researcher Paul Rowe of St. Joseph Mercy Livingston Hospital and his team states that “bones adapt to the degree of mechanical loading, such that an increase in loading causes the architecture of the internal, spongy bone to strengthen, followed by the strengthening of the cortical layer.”
However, this theory does not account for the unpredictable nature of bone fractures or the head trauma that may result from repeated bludgeoning with a blunt object. The healing process is difficult to control precisely, making the chances of a desirable outcome very unlikely.
Bone smashing is confirmed to be a dangerous process with low success rates, just as looksmaxxing creates an incredibly unhealthy environment with little benefit.
As looksmaxxing becomes more prevalent, it is imperative to remind oneself that perfection is a construct. True beauty can be found in everyone, no matter the height of their nose bridge.
