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Toning down one’s facial swelling is something many search far and wide for, as puffiness is a common occurrence that many different things can trigger. “A number of factors cause puffiness—salt and alcohol, a slow lymphatic system, a lack of sleep and congestion, especially in the summer months when allergies come to the fore,” facialist Katharine Mackenzie Paterson once told Vogue. So leave it to everyone’s beauty-trend machine (a.k.a. TikTok) to illuminate a hack to get you lymphatic-drainage results in under 10 minutes with the use of an easy-to-find household item: wrapping rubber bands around your ears.
This technique is hardly new. David Kim, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Lightsaver, created the viral video and says this trend first started in Korea. Because of its accessibility and quick results, many still gravitate toward the video a year after he posted it.
TikTok content
“This was really popular in Korea at the time and continues to be popular,” Dr. Kim tells Vogue. “The video had more than six million views in 2024, [and] I’m not exactly sure why this has resurfaced, but I think it may be because a couple of other influencers, especially [creator Kirti Tewani], have done videos on how it actually works to depuff the face.”
The results seem impressive. In her video, Tewani shows how half her face looks drastically different from the other side after trying the rubber band trick for just five minutes. But can we trust it?
How to Do It
The technique is quite simple. You grab two rubber bands and place one around each ear to open up the lymphatic system and improve circulation, which should in theory help with any puffiness. “By improving the circulation, especially in the preauricular and posterior auricular lymphatics, you’re able to remove the excess fluid and depuff the face,” Dr. Kim explains.
You can use any regular rubber bands; just make sure they’re tight enough to pull the ears and open the lymphatics but not tight enough where it hurts. Leave it on for about 10 to 15 minutes, and he says you should be able to notice a subtle difference immediately. How often you do it is up to you. You can do it once every day or as needed (though you’ll want to avoid sleeping with them on as that would be uncomfortable, he says). “It’s helpful to do it when you feel particularly swollen and puffy,” he adds.
But Does It Actually Work?
Though many testimonials claim that this method gets rid of puffiness, there is no science to back up these claims. Some experts are even skeptical if it does anything at all. “A lymphatic-drainage massage may use specific motions and manipulations around the ears to reduce puffiness, but this is not the same as putting rubber bands around the ears,” says New York City dermatologist Hadley King, MD. “This won’t have the same effect.”
“The theory is that light pressure stimulates lymphatic drainage, helping to move excess fluid,” adds Marisa Garshick, MD, board-certified dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology. “However, there’s no scientific evidence that this method effectively reduces facial puffiness.”
Dr. King goes on to explain that while tight rubber bands might pull the skin enough to get a lifting effect and make the face appear less puffy, the results would go away as soon as the rubber bands are removed. She adds that you’ll want to be careful as the pressure from the tight rubber band could restrict blood flow and lead to pain and tissue damage. Dr. Garshick agrees and says it might also cause skin irritation or headaches.
There are more verified ways to depuff your face that you can try if you’re looking for something more science based. Dr. Garshick points to facial massage techniques such as gua sha or lymphatic-massage facials. You can also change certain lifestyle habits, such as reducing salt intake, increasing hydration, or even sleeping with your head elevated.
But if you’re looking for a temporary fix or something to supplement your gua sha routine, Dr. Kim says the rubber-band trick is worth a shot. “This is not a transformative hack that will all of sudden snatch your jawline and magically shrink your face,” he says. “But it can make you look less swollen and puffy and help you appear sharper. Everyone has rubber bands at home, and it’s something that everyone can try.”
