Trends trying to make men’s jawlines look more defined are running rampant on social media

Okay, so here’s something that’s either funny or stupid, or both. American teenagers – boys in particular – are aiming to achieve well-defined jawlines by using silicone ‘jaw trainers’ that they’re meant to gnaw on 10 minutes at a time. And the device is giving serious cuckhold-B&D vibes.

When they’re not gnawing at plastic they have the option of chewing ‘facial fitness gum’ which, although not proven to work scientifically, apparently work to strengthen the jawline and build muscle around it.

Some believe the trend is a byproduct of apps like Instagram and Snapchat where image is everything and the perfect face is what the new gen should be aiming for, above everything else.

Similarly, techniques like ‘mewing’ – an oral posture technique that involves pressing the tongue against the roof of the mouth with the aim of changing the shape of the jawline, are also trending, with the subject seeing hundreds of thousands of videos going viral on TikTok and YouTube. Even Reddit’s r/mewing community consists of at least 60,000 members.

Teens are even turning to plastic surgery with the aim of obtaining ‘better’ jawlines which begs the question: why are we going back to the classic jock look in men in American culture? Is this one of the US’s latest desperate attempts to push a ‘classic’, back-to-cornfed aesthetics?

Cue gif of Taylor supporting her all-American beau Travis.

Antonino Tati