01 Aug Doctor’s POV: SKIMS Seamless Sculpt Face Wrap
Kim Kardashian is no stranger to controversy, and her latest beauty product from her line SKIMS, the Seamless Sculpt Face Wrap, has once again, divided the internet. Since its release, the SKIMS Seamless Sculpt Face Wrap has sold out within hours. According to SKIM’s website, the Seamless Sculpt Face Wrap is the brand’s “first-ever face innovation” and promises to lift and define your chin while you sleep. Let’s dive into the science behind SKIMS Seamless Sculpt Face Wrap’s hype in this blogpost.
WHAT IS SKIMS SEAMLESS SCULPT FACE WRAP
The SKIMS Seamless Sculpt Face Wrap has been marketed as a “strong, targeted compression for shaping & sculpting” with “collagen yarns for ultra-soft jaw support” while one sleeps. But it is essentially a fabric wrap- 81% Polyamide and 19% Elastane to be precise- around the head. While SKIMS Seamless Sculpt Face Wrap may resemble the compression dressings patients wear after facelifts or wraps popularised on TikTok for jawline contouring aka “morning shed”- don’t expect a cloth wrap to contour or lift your face overnight. Here’s why:
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THE SCIENCE AND PHYSIOLOGY :A DOCTOR’S POV
Compression therapy explained
Compression therapy is a medical therapy for venous and lymphatic diseases. Compression exerts an external pressure on the veins and tissues to reduce swelling (i.e. edema) and improve healing of wounds in these conditions where blood and fluid flow are compromised. Similarly, compression garments, like those worn after facelifts and liposuction temporarily reduce swelling related to these treatments to give a transient tighter appearance. The pressure exerted by compression therapy also has to be controlled to reduce side effects and discomfort.
Like the other forms of face wraps popularised on TikTok for face slimming, SKIMS Seamless Sculpt Face Wrap physically squeezes the face to temporarily aid lymphatic drainage and depuff the face. But these perceived effects are also temporary and likely to be mild if at all. When the wrap is removed, these fluids naturally redistribute, and the natural facial anatomy reverts. In healthy individuals who do not have medical conditions or surgery, facial swelling due to fluid accumulation does not significantly contribute to the shape of the face. SKIMS Seamless Sculpt Face Wrap and the likes do not the underlying structural anatomy of the face such as the tissues, muscle, bone, or skin that define the facial contours and shape.
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Anthony Hopkins, who played Hannibal Lecter in Silence of the Lambs, trolls Kim Kardashian and the SKIMS face wrap.
Collagen fabrics do not build collagen in the skin
Another spin from SKIMS Seamless Sculpt Face Wrap- its “collagen yarns for ultra-soft jaw support”. Collagen fabrics are said to be softer, and more breathable to wear. But does wearing collagen fabrics biologically stimulate collagen synthesis in the skin or alter facial anatomy? Not at all.
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If you’re looking to build collagen in your skin for lifting, firming and tightening benefits- consider in clinic treatments like Hybrid Cooperative Complexes for Lifting and High Intensity Focused Ultrasound Treatments. These non-surgical treatments are evidence based for restoring collagen in the skin and lifting of sagging skin.
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SIDE EFFECTS OF WEARING SKIMS Seamless Sculpt Face Wrap
Wearing the SKIMS Seamless Sculpt Face Wrap may instead irritate the skin or cause pressure marks from prolonged compression, especially overnight. Friction to the skin physically disrupts the skin and may also cause acne.
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Pressure exerted by SKIMS Seamless Sculpt Face Wrap may also worsen jaw tension and temporomandibular joint joint compression, affecting sleep and airway patency.
CONCLUSION on SKIMS Seamless Sculpt Face Wrap
SKIMS Seamless Sculpt Face Wrap that is unlikely to significantly sculpt the face. Afterall, this polyamide/elastane does not structurally alter the facial tissues; but may result in skin irritation, acne and reduced sleep quality.
If you’re looking to slim and lift and firm the jawline, these options are better evidenced:
• High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU): Delivers ultrasound energy to build collagen for lifting and tightening of saggy skin
• Collagen biostimulators like Hybrid Cooperative Complexes that trigger collagen and elastin formation in the skin. These treatments reduce signs of ageing such as wrinkles and enlarged pores; and lift saggy tissues to reduce laugh lines and improve jawline definition
• Dermal fillers (e.g. jawline or chin filler) restore definition and lift
• Botulinum toxin to masseter muscles can slim face by reducing muscle hypertrophy
Do you have a skincare product you’d like to see analysed? Let me know in the comments!
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