The Disturbing Trend of Bone Smashing: A Dangerous and Baseless Beauty Myth

Welcome to another TikTok Myth of the Week—one that is both concerning and alarming. Today we’re delving into the dangerous trend of “bone smashing,” also known as “bone mashing,” where individuals hit their own face with a hammer in an attempt to make themselves more attractive. Although bone smashing has gained popularity recently, it has been a topic of discussion on certain platforms like Reddit for years. Teenagers, particularly boys, who have heard about this trend on YouTube or Instagram have often attempted it themselves.

So what exactly is bone smashing? It is the belief that by tapping the face with a hammer or knuckles in certain areas, such as the cheekbones and jawline, individuals can increase the size or thickness of their facial bones. The idea of bone smashing arose from the concept of “mewing,” where influencers claim that performing tongue exercises can result in a more defined jawline. They link this theory to Wolff’s law, which states that bones become stronger in response to physical stress. However, there is absolutely no evidence to support the claim that bone smashing can enhance facial bone structure. While Wolff’s law is widely recognized among scientists, the process of bone growth due to stress is much more complex than a single TikTok-digestible sentence would suggest.

If someone engages in bone smashing by repeatedly tapping their face with a hard object, they are unlikely to achieve the desired results. Instead, they are more likely to experience swelling and bruising as the soft tissues of the face react to the impact. Bruised and swollen cheekbones might give the illusion of increased bone structure, but it does not lead to aesthetically pleasing growth. Additionally, there are risks of serious injury, such as bone fractures, concussions, or causing harm to other areas of the face like the teeth or eyes. Advocates of bone smashing often emphasize the importance of being gentle and safe during the process, but the overall safety of this practice remains questionable.

The origin of bone smashing is intertwined with a subculture of young men who seek to alter their facial features to appear more masculine. This subculture also includes the practice of “mewing,” tongue exercises to achieve a squared jawline. It is essential to note that there are no peer-reviewed studies supporting the effectiveness of mewing or bone smashing. These pursuits often revolve around “looksmaxxing,” a term associated with male-oriented beauty standards and incel ideologies.

While there are a plethora of looksmaxxing influencers on platforms like YouTube and Instagram, it is impossible to verify the authenticity of their “before and after” transformations. Some differences may be attributed to posing, camera angles, age-related changes, or the use of filters and cosmetic procedures. Most information regarding bone smashing is derived from older text-based forums, and many TikTok videos on the topic are now memes or warnings.

This obsession with altering one’s appearance, predominantly among young individuals, is undeniably distressing. If we delve deeper into the subject, we will encounter notions of evolutionary traits dictating love and social power. Concepts like “hunter eyes” or precise assessments of the positioning of eye corners highlight the misguided belief that there exists an objectively superior way to look. However, under the slightest scrutiny, these assumptions crumble. Hot, well-known individuals may possess what these subcultures consider “inferior” traits, leading to confusion among newcomers on the forums. The existence of scleral show, for example, could be perceived as an attractive quality by some, debunking the notion of objective beauty.

Facial features having absolutist power over an individual’s fate is an unfounded concept with a lengthy history of harm. In the early twentieth century, Italian criminologist Cesare Lombroso propagated the idea that certain facial features marked individuals as natural criminals. His theories supported harsher penalties for those possessing these features and lighter sentences for those who did not. Facial features have also played significant roles in eugenics and pseudo-histories surrounding race and phrenology. Attempts to categorize human beings based on their facial features have yielded nothing positive and, instead, perpetuated harmful stereotypes and discrimination.

Source: TikTok Myth of the Week: ‘Bone Smashing’ Will Make You Beautiful