Bizarre social media skin care trends
Nowadays you can quickly become an influencer through the many social media (Youtube, IG, facebook, TikTok). Especially if you have a simple solution for an annoying skin problem, such as acne. An army of followers are going to imitate this quick fix. The result is new dermatological problems that were rare before.
Here is a selection of bizarre trends
Toothpaste on your pustules
This idea has been around for a long time and is based on the antibacterial properties of certain substances, such as hydrogen peroxide, triclosan, which were previously put in toothpaste.
Most commercially available toothpaste no longer contains triclosan. Even if it did, there is the possibility of irritation and even chemical burns.
Bizarre trend – full face waxing performed by a hairdresser
For this, dermatologist Francis Wu had been live on the 5 o’clock show and commented on this trend. Trend: your face is covered with a warm thick green resin, even the eyes and eyebrows are involved. To breathe, cotton swabs stick out of your nose. Then with a lot of show the wax is pulled off. What is left behind is red skin and watery eyes.
Curious: video
Potato on pimple trend
A potato slice on your pimple to make it disappear like snow in the sun. Potatoes contain salicylic acid which can, as it were, peel away the stratum corneum. However, the concentration of salicylic acid is very low, and applying it to acne is not effective.
Although allergy to potato is rare, it can lead to eczema. In addition, also develop potato cross reactions, for latex and birch pollen. In other words, allergic complaints to latex and birch pollen get as a result of potato allergy.
Plaster on your pimple trend
Another particularly popular acne treatment trend is covering your pimples with bandages. Not only ineffective, but also risk of allergy to plaster glue. And if the patches are left on for too long without proper cleansing, skin infections can develop. We also see this in patients who do not dare to change their plaster after an operation.
Curious: video
Lemon juice to whiten your skin or reduce scars
It seems like a good idea, an acid and vitamin C on your skin. An acid can improve your skin acidity, skin peeling and vitamin C, stimulates your collagen production, bleaches pigment spots and provides a shine to your skin. But wait…..
Citric acid has a low acidity, around pH 2. This strong pH can irritate your skin considerably. Especially if you have sensitive skin.
Another problem is that lemon juice can cause a phototoxic reaction. Furocoumarins in lemon juice, combined with UVA rays from daylight – more about UVA rays, can cause skin reactions such as redness, burning, itching and in severe cases severe blisters. See photo of a phototoxic reaction by lemon juice.
Curious: lemon mask trend
Sea salt and acne trend
Instinctively you would say sea salt dries out the pimples and a little sea salt on your skin can do no harm. There is no evidence for this. But the trend continues when influencers claim that seawater restores skin acidity and kills bacteria. That’s going too far.
Curious: sea salt trend
Have you seen other bizarre trends let us know. Mail: info@iconic-elements.com
While you are here
There are certain skincare habits that we all know aren’t great for your skin, such as going to bed without removing your makeup, going out on a sunny day without sunscreen, or washing your face with a regular block of hand soap.
These are fairly logical examples, but there are other habits that are not always good for your skin. These then fall under the heading of ‘bad habits’ for your skin barrier. For more information on this – click
