Has your favourite beauty influencer or celeb posted about how they’re taping their mouth before bed yet? If they haven’t, chances are they will very soon. This new “trend” that originated on TikTok has been taking over the lives of all beauty and wellness enthusiasts. Claiming to have multiple beauty and wellness benefits, you’ll find this practice mentioned in almost every celebrity interview or nighttime routine reel. Ashley Graham and Gwyneth Paltrow have been credited with educating their audience about mouth taping for wellness purposes and religiously follow the practice every night. Personally, this new trend is a little too morbid for my taste, but as always, I’m happy to give you the complete low-down on what it can or cannot do for you.
The Tall Claims Of Mouth Taping
Let’s dive into why everyone is partaking in this practice. Taping your mouth closed means you will be forced to breathe from your nose, the way we were primarily meant to. When we breathe from our nose, it is able to filter and moisten the air going into our bodies. This results in a reduction in sore throat and oral hygiene issues and is supposed to promote better sleep quality. Beauty influencers also claim that it can change the structure of your jawline and tone your double chin, but the jury’s out on those claims.
The Correct Way Of Using Mouth Tape
It’s no rocket science- you just stick a piece of tape over your lips right before you go to bed. There are many porous mouth tape options available, or thin vertical strips of tape that go only over the centre of your lips, but generic medical tape will do the job just the same. We basically need to make sure that our lips don’t separate. Side note: Emma Roberts likes using mouth tape on long flights and says it helps her wake up more refreshed and energised!
What The Experts Have To Say
We sat down for a conversation with Dr. (Major) Gurveen Waraich Garekar of Garekar’s M.D. Dermatology Clinic to give us some insight into this new trend and if it’s really all that it’s made out to be, “Mouth taping has been gaining a lot of traction owing to the TikTok trend flooding social media platforms. It is being sought by the audience primarily for promoting sleep hygiene, reducing snoring, and improving overall sleep quality. It is generally recommended for those who tend to breathe via mouth while sleeping. People experiencing sleep apnea and are prone to snoring can also use mouth tape. Additionally, individuals seeking to improve overall health quality and reduce bad breath can benefit from mouth taping or breathing through their nose.”
When asked if there are any risks involved, she told us that for people with allergies, congestion, or asthma, it could make breathing difficult. Mouth taping can also lead to allergic reactions due to adhesives used in tapes. It can compromise the skin barrier and cause skin tears or rashes at the time of removing the tape, leading to skin irritation. In her opinion, scientifically, the benefits of mouth taping are unproven. It is almost impossible to notice any change in facial structure such as the jawline just with mouth taping and while it encourages nose breathing, there’s no scientific evidence that translates to facial sculpting.
Dr. Akanksha Singh Cornuit of Promed Aesthetics shares a similar opinion: “Just because you saw it on Instagram or TikTok doesn’t mean it’s right for you. If you have issues like frequent reflux or moderate to severe sleep apnea, mouth taping could be harmful. It’s crucial to consult a doctor before trying this, especially if you have trouble breathing through your nose.”
We hope this information helps you make the most of your beauty sleep, so that you can wake up looking and feeling your best (and most importantly, without getting suffocated).
