Do you dream of a slimmer face? Is a V-shaped face the ideal face? What are the ways you have heard of to achieve your dream face shape? 

A slim v-shaped face is often known as the ideal beauty in Asia. It has thought to be achievable only through plastic surgery. However, with the emergence of a new therapy known as Golki Therapy, many women aim to remodel the face and body through unique bone massage techniques to realign the bone structure. I have been interviewed by several magazines and media on how to achieve your ideal face shape and in the process have debunked many myths. In this article, I hope to shed some light on the safe and effective methods to achieve and maintain a V-shape facial structure. 

Dr. Teo Wan Lin is an accredited dermatologist and an expert on cosmeceutical skincare research and development. She is the author of  “Skincare Bible – Dermatologist’s Tips for Cosmeceutical Skincare”  which was published July 2019 by leading bookstores Barnes & Noble, Baker & Taylor and Apple Books and available in bookstores islandwide from January 2020. She heads up Dr.TWL Dermaceuticals, a specialist cosmeceutical skincare line with evidence-based active ingredients for anti-ageing and skin health. Its subsidiaries, the Pi- Cosmeceutical Custom Makeup Lab and the Conscious Mask Bar are part of the Conscious Concept Pharmacy launched in December featuring environmentally sustainable makeup and skincare materials. In this series “Dermatologist Talks” she shares her top tips on common skincare topics. In this article, she shares about a special Asian beauty trend – Golki Therapy.

What is one strange Asian beauty trend?

In terms of Asian beauty trends, I think what I find one of the strangest would be Golki therapy whereby the therapist actually uses a lot of manual force to reshape one’s facial bones, to achieve an ideal v-shaped face for example. I obviously never experienced that but physiologically, it is incredibly brutal to have this sort of therapy where someone is literally attempting to fracture one’s facial bones in order to achieve a smaller face shape.

I do not think it is possible for the therapist using any sort of method to actually reshape the bones in a single session. As our adult bones are not malleable (they are all calcified), what I have actually heard from people who have undergone that is that it is simply very painful.

While I do not think it is very common to sustain a facial fracture from such a procedure, and indeed there is some sort of training program that these therapists undergo, I personally feel that one could be exposed to certain traumatic risks when undergoing this treatment.

On top of skin bruising, it is also possible to have fat necrosis due to the extreme amount of force that is exerted on the face. If there is any sort of improvement from this treatment, it would not be coming from one’s facial bones but perhaps from the trauma of the entire experience, which I can imagine can only be extremely painful. I do not think that it is advisable or safe.

How do facials make your face smaller?

Our definition of facial has to shift from the traditional spa beautician mold whereby extractions and massages are performed to the medical equipment used in dermatologist offices. Something that does indeed help to slim the face and has evidence-based long-lasting results is a machine known as high-intensity focus ultrasound. What that does essentially is that it targets the SMAS (superficial muscular aponeurotic system) layer.

It is best envisioned as the curtain rail where the layers of your skin (epidermis, dermis, subcutaneous fat) and the muscles are all hanging on this curtain rail. When you lift it up as indicated by high-intensity focus ultrasound where the technology targets, you will see a noticeable lifting and shaping towards a v-shaped face. This has nothing to do with your bone but it also does result in fat necrosis which causes some shaping of the face to make it look smaller. Facials, in the sense of the traditional facial massages, I think is of very limited value. 

What alternatives are there?

The trend should be moving towards devices that can be used at home and are models of technologies that we use in the office. For example, radiofrequency is something that is safe, and my team and I worked on an FDA-approved radiofrequency device last year known as the CollagenUp Wand. It helps to tighten the skin via action on the dermis. This can overall lead to increased collagen formation and gradual shaping of a v-shaped face with sustained use. 

For Facial Gua Sha, it is a form of facial massage which aids in lymphatic drainage. Any form of facial massage can result in this. There have been studies that link an increased sense of well-being to massage practices. Massage itself is helpful because it increases blood circulation. By increasing blood flow, there is more nutrients and oxygenation that is delivered to the skin. Topically active ingredients such as cosmeceuticals can also be better absorbed. Using Dr.TWL’s Jade Roller before application of cosmeceuticals increases skincare absorption, and contributes to enhanced effects on anti-aging.

High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a noninvasive procedure for skin lifting and tightening. HIFU essentially causes the skin tissue cells to die based on a physiological process known as cell necrosis. This results in the subsequent reduction of bulkiness of the affected area being treated. Common areas that HIFU is used for treatment would be the jawline, the cheeks which leads to an aesthetically pleasant shaping and lifting effect, to approach the v-shaped face desired. 

TWL Specialist Skin and Laser Centre helmed by accredited dermatologist Dr. Teo Wan Lin uses HIFU as a painless way for shaping and lifting to achieve the v-shaped face, with evidence based methods. This is sold in a full face bundle and used in conjunction with our cosmeceuticals, which penetrate the skin, and the Qraser polymer patch that helps to draw moisture to the top layer of skin, causing a multidimensional lifted effect.