Have you ever caught a glimpse of yourself in the mirror unexpectedly and accidentally turned yourself to stone? Do people ask you all the time, “What’s wrong?” or “Are you ok?” but they say it in a timid manner, like you would if you were to approach, say, a tiger, or some other form of wild, unpredictable beast? Or maybe you’ve had the experience of walking down the street and making the neighborhood children cry and hide because you’re this close to having a cape and a menagerie of flying monkeys, because girl, you look mean as hell.
If this is the case, then you most likely are suffering from a case of Resting Bitch Face, or RBF. RBF can be a mixed blessing, as it can both help and hinder your life.
Pros: it’s a nonlethal weapon that is with you always, it makes chatty Karens think twice before approaching, men who want to tell you to smile will probably be too scared to do so, and you can tell an entire room to fuck off without even opening your mouth.
Cons: you look mean, people might be afraid to tell you if there’s food in your teeth, and sometimes you frighten yourself when faced with your reflection.
Although most of us have learned to cope with our RBF, according to a recent article by the New York Post, more and more women are choosing to get surgery to cure them of it. The Post cites a plastic surgeon named Dr. David Shafer as saying that this is a common request – women wanting to get procedures done that will make their relaxed face look less “mad.”
Apparently, plastic surgeons are approaching this task by using fillers and Botox and focusing on the lower face. The fillers can be used to plump the lips, and also to plump up the lines that can create a hardened appearance. Among the procedures that are done, using fillers to change the angle of the mouth is one that is used to make the face look more “pleasant” in a resting state.
I’m a person with an RBF, and I can confirm that it can be a bit of a hassle when it comes to the way you are perceived or come across to other people.
That being said, there are some plus sides that can come along with having RBF as well. I think most of us kind of resign ourselves to the fact that this is just what we look like.
Although surgery seems like a huge decision, who can judge if it might help someone feel better about themselves?