Chew On This: The Truth About Gum and Jaw Sculpting
Welcome to the world of chin sculpting! New Jersey’s Dr. Carlos Burnett has heard from people ready to forget about dermal fillers and chin implants when it comes to shaping the look they want. Their reasoning? Who needs all of that when they’ve got good old chewing gum!
But can gum actually help sculpt a jawline that would make a Greek Goddess jealous? Let’s find out.
According to Dr. Derek Steinbacher, the chief of oral and maxillofacial surgery at Yale Medicine and a professor of surgery at Yale School of Medicine, chewing gum works your jaw muscles as the gym does your body.
The act of chewing gum can enlarge your masseter muscles, which are the muscles in your jaw next to your ears.
Baylor College of Medicine surgeon and assistant professor Dr. Sunthosh Sivam has something interesting to say about this topic as well: Yes, you can change your jaw through chewing gum, but not quite the way you’d pictured. He states that it would take six to eight hours a day for years to see any actual noticeable difference.
Dr. Steinbacher says that any potential change will be from only the masseter muscles enlarging and getting wider. We imagine that’s not the modelesque look you’d be going for, so you’re probably better off with other solutions.
How to (Actually) Change Your Jaw And Chin
Dr. Burnett says: The truth is that cosmetic procedures, both surgical and non-surgical, are the only real way to make any visibly significant difference to your chin and jawline.
Short-Term Non-Surgical Options
To achieve effective jaw or chin sculpting, try these methods:
BOTOX®
It’s like a little vacation for your masseter muscles! BOTOX® allows the targeted muscles to “kick back and relax,” which gives your jawline and chin a slimming transformation. This can create a sleek and stylish jawline!
Dermal Fillers
Filler injected along the jawline can work wonders for jaw and chin sculpting by adding volume where it will make the most face-shaping impact.
Longer-term, more lasting solutions include facial surgery, which Dr. Burnett can discuss with you during a consultation. He definitely won’t be chewing gum, though.
Remember that if you do chew gum, be aware that there can be muscle-building side effects if done excessively. Burnett Plastic Surgery offers a variety of more reliable chin sculpting procedures. Call us today at 908.233.0200 for more information or fill out a contact form to request a consultation in case you’re ready to get started.
