Edge collapse is a blunt instrument – if you let it run unchecked it will chew through the structure. The trick is to keep your topology clean before you even think about collapsing. Start with a quad‑based flow, make sure every edge is part of a proper loop, and double‑check for non‑manifold edges or stray triangles. When you do collapse, do it in a controlled sweep: keep the edge length ratio sane, preserve adjacent edge loops, and never collapse an edge that would create a hole or violate the manifoldness. In practice that means no shortcuts, no auto‑retopo hacks, just a disciplined, repeatable flow and a keen eye for where a single edge could become a weak point.