Category: FASHION AND BEAUTY

TikTok may feel like a font of remarkable pores and skin care tips and inspiration, but healthcare gurus don’t usually think so.

“I assume it is important to constantly be careful about what is stated on TikTok and usually discuss with a professional or a board-accredited skin doctor when it comes to your own personalized pores and skin regimen to ensure what you are applying is excellent for your pores and skin,” New York City board-accredited skin doctor Dr. Marisa Garshick told HuffPost. “It is vital to bear in mind that just due to the fact you see it on TikTok, doesn’t necessarily mean it is necessarily harmless and does not suggest it is necessarily excellent for you.”

This is especially correct of acne solutions. HuffPost requested Garshick and other dermatologists to share the pimples hacks and fads they’ve observed on TikTok but do not propose making an attempt.

From skin icing to the “potato hack,” beneath are seven acne therapy trends you’re better off steering clear of.

“The thought of putting toothpaste on acne as a place cure has been about for a long time, based mostly on the antibacterial properties similar to an ingredient beforehand utilised in toothpastes named triclosan and the drying attributes related to baking soda and hydrogen peroxide,” Garshick explained. “But it is vital to keep in mind that this can direct to irritation and dryness of the pores and skin, particularly when utilized all around, as some on TikTok are executing.”

Most commercially offered toothpastes no lengthier incorporate triclosan, and even if they did, dermatologists even now place to the prospective for irritation and even chemical burns.

“We have lots of excellent zits-fighting components these as salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, retinoids and extra, that we really don’t need to depend on toothpaste for our acne any longer, no subject how hassle-free it may be,” Garshick stated.

Another TikTok trick that went viral is the “potato hack,” in which men and women place parts of uncooked potato about their pimples to make them go absent.

“Some justify this [by saying] potato can include little quantities of salicylic acid, but this uncooked potato application stunt to extreme acne breakouts is just silly and ineffective,” mentioned Dr. Melanie D. Palm, a board-accredited skin doctor and medical director at the Art of Skin MD in Southern California.

“Why would a person apply a uncooked vegetable to the facial area when productive acne breakouts therapies exist above the counter (retinoids, benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid) that have demonstrated performance AND protection accepted by the Food and Drug Administration?” she asked.

She extra that potato allergy symptoms are rare but exist and can direct to critical indications, as can cross-reactive allergic reactions to potato due to other recognised allergens like latex and birch pollen.

“Using ice on pimples and to de-puff your face is not perilous as lengthy as it’s finished adequately,” mentioned Dr. Annie Gonzalez, a board-accredited skin doctor in Miami. “Very generally, pimples or cysts are inflamed. Ice brings down inflammation.”

Nonetheless, she cautioned from making use of an ice cube to your bare skin. In its place, wrap it in a washcloth and go over the area in a light-weight, steady motion. Do not rub. And follow that step with a medical doctor-recommended acne breakouts treatment method like salicylic acid, she included.

Dr. Sheila Farhang, a board-licensed skin doctor based in Arizona, echoed Gonzalez’s guidance not to implement ice specifically to your encounter.

“Direct ice can hurt the pores and skin ― believe microscopic frostbite,” she stated. “For puffiness, I propose putting a moisturizer in a pores and skin fridge, so it is awesome but not too cold, as this can modify the formulation. Rollers created of rose quartz or jade are inherently cooling stones so this is also a good choice.”

Farhang also warned against pores and skin icing as a treatment method for melasma.

“I basically cringe when I see folks recommending icing their skin to assist with their melasma ― this can really worsen it, specified that when it will come to melasma, something that brings about redness or discomfort will convert brown,” she reported. “SPF is way additional important!”

Another well-liked zits cure craze on TikTok is masking your experience with Band-Aids.

“This is actually a Band-Support repair!” Palm explained. “It is ineffective and simply occludes an inflammatory zits lesion from the bordering surroundings. This would be powerful for an person that picks each individual one zits lesion, but this Band-Support hack in no way is therapeutic in improving active acne.”

She additional that the skin usually tolerates hydrogel bandages reasonably properly, but there is however a prospective for allergic reactions. And if the Band-Aids are still left on way too extended with no cleaning, secondary skin bacterial infections could establish.

Consuming liquid chlorophyll to apparent up acne breakouts grew to become preferred in the environment of skin treatment Twitter before this year, but dermatologists are hesitant to recommend it offered the deficiency of scientific investigation on its usefulness in treating pimples.

“Chlorophyll is protected for human use, but the rewards are not demonstrated. It’s probably a far better notion to get chlorophyll from consuming environmentally friendly veggies,” stated New York City dermatologist Dr. Hadley King. “There are some trials that have revealed that topical chlorophyll can assist lower acne since of its anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial qualities. But we really don’t but have facts about oral chlorophyll’s outcomes on acne breakouts.”

So although you may find some added benefits from consuming chlorophyll, you may possibly expertise even much more from eating a well balanced diet plan substantial in vegetables, which has other positive consequences on the human body as a full. And really don’t be expecting it to apparent your critical cystic acne breakouts.

Working with lemon juice to lighten or clear away pimples scars may seem like an innocuous trick, but dermatologists beg to vary.

“As we are all wonderfully distinct, a skin treatment program or remedy that is terrific for one human being may possibly not be the ideal alternative or could even be destructive to another person else,” mentioned Dr. James Ralston, a dermatologist based mostly in Texas. “For instance, lemon juice is hugely acidic and when used to the skin can induce irritation, particularly for all those with delicate skin. It can also cause discoloration, specially for people with darker pores and skin sorts.”

Just since a thing looks “all natural” or looks like a fast deal with on TikTok does not necessarily mean it’s highly recommended to use on your skin.

“Applying a robust citrus acid to your face, this kind of as lemon or lime juice, can create a phototoxic reaction when you go in the sunlight foremost to blistering, burns and hyperpigmentation,” said Dr. Brian Hibler of Schweiger Dermatology Group in New York Metropolis.

Pores and skin care TikTok is owning a minute. From influencers sharing their regimens to Do-it-yourself hacks to skilled breakdowns, there’s anything for anyone.

But dermatologists ― healthcare experts who’ve devoted their professions to managing pores and skin ― are not on board with all of it.

“It’s variety of a reward and a curse,” Dr. Rayna Dyck, a dermatologist based mostly in Alabama, informed HuffPost. “The present is there is a large amount of data commonly accessible, and it can make it simple for persons to digest items with day to day language.”

She observed that TikTok is also practical for customers who discover communities of men and women having difficulties with the similar pores and skin challenges or other wellness-related difficulties.

“However, the curse is that everyone can deliver the written content,” Dyck mentioned. “So in addition to pores and skin care gurus, terrific aestheticians and dermatologists who put out correct facts, there are folks who are sharing tips that isn’t practical or is even destructive. But for the reason that they’re popular or beautiful, every person is heading to attempt it, even if it’s undesirable for them.”

Without a doubt, quite a few TikTok skin treatment hacks and fads are ineffective, counterproductive or even downright hazardous.

“Just as with other social media platforms, yet another issue is the unrealistic anticipations that are perpetuated with closely edited articles,” claimed Connecticut-based dermatologist Dr. Rhonda Klein. “Chances are if a treatment or at-dwelling magnificence unit appears much too very good to be real, it probably is ― lots of of these ‘skinfluencers’ are greatly modifying their written content with filters and lighting.”

Everyone’s pores and skin is diverse, so the most critical detail you can do is check with with a board-qualified dermatologist to handle your skin difficulties and build a science-backed remedy program. What works for a single TikTok person may possibly not operate for you — especially if what that TikTok user claims is a magic bullet is nothing of the sort.

From sunscreen contouring to Diy microneedling, down below are eight skin care tendencies you’re improved off keeping away from.

Microneedling is a system in which the skin is punctured with tiny needles to promote collagen production and strengthen skin quality. On TikTok, people are attempting microneedling at house, applying a software identified as a dermaroller. But the pros are not in aid of this method.

“DIY dermarolling or microneedling can problems the skin and result in infection, particularly because numerous equipment employed at house do not have the sterile or one use characteristics that one particular would find in a medical business office,” reported Dr. James Ralston, a skin doctor primarily based in Texas. “Additionally, dermatologists use units that are especially designed to penetrate the skin deeper, safely and securely and more proficiently.”

At-property microneedling carries quite a few risks that outweigh any probable advantages. It is harmful to complete this technique in an setting that is not completely thoroughly clean and sterile, with a machine that is not healthcare quality, and with needles that are not fresh, significant-high-quality or entirely sterile on their own. Uninteresting needle guidelines can harm the pores and skin, and a substantial amount of accuracy is essential to avoid infection, discomfort, harm and scarring.

“We comprehensively cleanse the pores and skin prior to every treatment method,” reported dermatologist Dr. Papri Sarkar. “If you’re not very careful about cleaning before accomplishing the remedy, you can also get granulomas or infection. We take a look at the skin before starting treatment method. If you have a chilly sore (which is prompted by the herpes virus), you can spread it all about your deal with and even into your eye. … Similarly if you have a pores and skin most cancers, I wouldn’t want you to roll around it and modify the physical appearance of it.”

“I try to remember not too long ago sunscreen was remaining showcased as a highlighter, that means people today have been selectively contouring and tanning the encounter the place sunscreen was not utilized,” stated Dr. Joyce Park, a dermatologist in Northern California. “This is a poor plan. Any tanning of the pores and skin is a indicator that DNA destruction to pores and skin cells has transpired. Sunscreen is not intended to be applied only as a highlighter in decide on areas. You need an even software in the course of the full confront to secure from photograph-growing old and skin cancer.”

Even if you are putting on a foundation, it’s finest to maintain the contouring to your makeup. Without having total and even sunscreen protection, you boost your hazard of sunburn, wrinkles, sunspots and pores and skin most cancers.

“No matter if you contour or highlight an spot on your deal with, you likely do not want a scar there from skin most cancers surgical procedure,” Sarkar explained. “There are astounding skin care products and solutions that truly secure your pores and skin with SPF and give you a glow these days so there is basically no purpose to do this. We are blessed to be dwelling in a time of terrific solar protection and bronzing and highlighting solutions out there. Let’s embrace it!”

A significantly troubling pores and skin care trend is makeup microneedling, in which men and women use microneedling devices and tactics to apply make-up to their skin for a for a longer time long lasting or semi-permanent influence.

“Makeup is designed to be utilized to the pores and skin and eliminated at the end of the day,” claimed Dr. Joshua Zeichner, the the director of beauty and medical investigate at Mount Sinai Healthcare facility in New York Town. “Combining it with microneedling can be hazardous. It produces a semi permanent tattoo, but can cause sizeable inflammatory reactions in the skin.”

Dr. Karan Lal of the Modern society for Pediatric Dermatology mentioned he’s found individuals wind up in the clinic with bacterial infections stemming from this Do it yourself trend. It can also bring about lasting scarring and dyspigmentation.

“Depending on the depth of microneedling, you can achieve very deep in the pores and skin and get bleeding,” he stated. “In the place of work we have proprietary serums and platelet abundant plasma that we use soon after microneedling, which are extremely sterile and meant for article micro needling strategies. Even so when folks are stamping makeup, which is not sterile, into the dermis, not only are we introducing a slew of diverse microorganisms but we are introducing overseas particles like zinc into our dermis.”

TikTok normally will make us feel like we can conquer any endeavor ourselves if we simply adhere to the video instructions. But when it will come to injecting your self with things you have purchased on-line, there’s significant hazard included.

Dr. Rachel Nazarian, a skin doctor in New York City, recommended strongly towards self-injected fillers at dwelling, a skin care “hack” she observed non-experts attempt on TikTok.

“This pattern can lead to occlusion of blood vessels, infection, scarring and even lasting blindness if finished improperly,” she warned.

Dr. Deanne Mraz Robinson echoed this sentiment, noting that Do it yourself lip fillers are an primarily bad strategy.

“Not only is it not sanitary, but the lips are a significantly vascular location,” she reported. “So an untrained human being has a substantial possibility of hitting a blood vessel major to vascular occlusion and tissue necrosis.”

Lal extra that the software many TikTok creators use can also be problematic.

“Many persons use a hyaluron pen to place ‘filler,’ frequently hyaluronic acid, into their lips with a needle-less strategy,” he mentioned. “This is not an Fda-accredited machine for this goal. This unit uses pneumatic tension to supply the item into the skin. There is not management of depth with this gadget so product might not be likely in the meant spot.”

Keeping track of current fashion trends can be perplexing. One notable example is the current dictate that women’s bodies must be utterly hairless at every point below their lower eyelashes, but that all hair north of that point must be as bushy and hirsute as that of any old-school Soviet ruler.

That’s not always an easy beauty look to pull off, especially if you’re not blessed with the thick eyebrow gene (which hardworking scientists will probably isolate any day now, right?). We talked to experts to make sense of what’s happening when brows get sparse, how to encourage growth and ways to provide credible camouflage in the meantime.

There’s a name for everything in medicine, and it turns out that the term for sparse lashes and brows is madarosis ― which can be your word for the day, and you’re welcome. But what causes the problem in the first place? One prime factor, big surprise, is aging. “Losing eyebrow hair is an inevitable part of getting older,” dermatologist Brandon Kirsch told HuffPost. “As we age, our hair, including eyebrows and lashes, lose their fullness, length and color.”

Dermatologist Patricia Wexler told HuffPost, “The hair follicles can stop producing hair as the shafts become finer.”

But aging isn’t necessarily the only cause, Kirsch explained: “Other factors include nutritional deficiencies, thyroid conditions or hormonal changes. Sometimes plucking or waxing eyebrow hair too frequently or aggressively can result in permanent damage to the hair follicle, leading to an inability to regrow hair.”

Dermatologist Uchenna Okereke outlined even more potential root causes to HuffPost: “Other causes can be medical conditions such as alopecia, bacterial, viral or fungal infections, trauma from burns or wounds, medical treatments like chemotherapy or radiation, laser treatments or medications.” Sometimes your genetics can be to blame, and sometimes the cause is a psychological condition such as trichotillomania, in which people pull out their own hair, eyebrows and eyelashes.

With so many potential reasons for thinning eyebrows, Okereke urged those who are concerned about the issue to consult with a board-certified dermatologist. “They can help you discover the cause and from there determine a treatment plan,” she said. “If you notice patches of hair loss on your eyebrows, make sure to look elsewhere for patches of hair loss on the scalp, arms, legs, underarms, and for men, the beard region. These are all important clues for you to share with your dermatologist.”

Your dermatologist will be able to recommend some options. “Some of our favorite products at Kirsch Dermatology are NeuBrow, GrandeBrow and Rapidlash,” Kirsch said. “They contain prostaglandin analogs, the key ingredient in the prescription eyelash treatment Latisse, which can be used off-label on the eyebrows.”

It’s important to know that prostaglandin analogs don’t come without risk. “Rarely, they’ve been found to darken the eyelid skin and the color of the iris in people with light brown or hazel eyes,” Kirsch said. “It’s less of a concern when applying these treatments to the eyebrows as opposed to the eyelashes, though.”

Other dermatologist-available options include injections of platelet-rich plasma (PRP). The first step, Kirsch explained, requires drawing your blood and spinning it in a centrifuge. “The extracted PRP has around five times the number of platelets found in normal circulating blood, with growth factors that can stimulate hair follicle growth,” he said.

The next step in the process involves needles and tunnels. “Tiny tunnels are made with needles that reach the follicles, and the concentrated platelets are placed there, stimulating stunted follicles,” Wexler explained. “It’s been used with great success.”

Finally, consider all of your options before choosing a path. “While treatments like microblading and brow lamination are available, it’s important to be aware of the risk of contact dermatitis from these procedures,” Okereke said. “Careful consideration regarding the cause of hair loss is important to prevent inadvertently worsening the condition in your attempt to improve it.”

Even with an initial price tag of about $800 to $1,000, microblading ― a purely cosmetic solution ― has many fans. “It’s definitely my favorite and preferred approach for patients who want to improve the cosmetic appearance of thin or absent brows,” dermatologist Rachel Maiman told HuffPost. “The technique uses a special pen to deposit pigment into the superficial layers of the skin. It’s not as deep as a traditional tattoo, so the ink is only semi-permanent and will eventually fade away completely.”

“The microblading artist draws hair-like strokes in the brow area to give the appearance of a fuller eyebrow,” Maiman said. “It’s important to note that microblading does not induce hair growth, but it won’t inhibit it, either. Generally, treatment with microblading requires two initial sessions spaced six weeks apart.”

“I personally have my eyebrows microbladed,” makeup artist Kathy Jeung told HuffPost. “Even though I grew up with thick eyebrows — almost a unibrow situation — I had two eyebrow-threading treatments years ago that, without my consent, went way overboard, and most of my eyebrow hair didn’t grow back. Microblading does take some time to achieve the end result, but at the hands of a talented technician, it’s a wonder.”

“I’ve had microblading done three times myself,” Michelle Wong, who has a chemistry Ph.D. and is the founder of Lab Muffin Beauty Science, told HuffPost. “It’s fantastic for filling in patches, cleaning up your eyebrow shape and generally allowing you to wake up every morning with perfect brows. Even when it wears off after around one or two years, the remnants act as a template for filling in your brows. It can look very natural if the microblader is experienced.”

Still, there are cautions. “There are potential infection and scarring risks if your microblader isn’t reputable,” Wong said. Maiman noted: “It’s typically considered a low-risk procedure, but it does carry the same risk profile as a tattoo, meaning the potential for an allergic reaction, infection or inflammatory reaction.”

And while this option can be a real timesaver for many people, it’s only a good idea if you love it. “Unlike when you’re using an eyebrow pencil, microblading is a semi-permanent tattoo procedure,” Kirsch said. “This carries risks if you are unhappy with the result.”

Brow lamination straightens brow hairs and freezes them into place, almost like a mini-perm for your eyebrows. The process usually lasts about four to six weeks. “It’s a game changer for those with thicker-textured brows,” makeup artist Diane da Silva told HuffPost. “It creates manageability, offering that soap-brow ‘laid’ look with minimal additional product needed. Brows appear unbelievably full and soft with little effort.”

“It’s great for giving a slicked-back look to unruly brow hairs, which can be molded to cover sparse patches,” Wong explained. “Still, lamination is limited by the hair you already have, so if you have a giant sparse patch it might not help much.”

If you’re trying to disguise missing hair or sparseness in the brows, but want something less permanent, you might consider brow tinting. “Like lamination, it’s a great semi-permanent option,” brow artist and founder of Brow Down Studio René de la Garza told HuffPost. “Brow tints accentuate the brows’ natural shape by darkening the area with a ‘stain,’ which usually lasts two to 14 days.”

For a shorter-term solution, there’s a cosmetic option for just about every level of need and skill. Makeup artist Georgi Sandev told HuffPost: “Generally, brow powders are easiest to work with, followed by the pencils and the liquid brow ink products, which require just a little more practice to get used to, but deliver the most realistic results as well.”

“Brow pencils work well to fill in and augment the thinning of eyebrows, and there are new brow pens that are made with fine tips to mimic the fine hairs of the brows,” Wexler said. “It’s important to find a color that matches your natural brow, and not to overdo the brow or the arch, so use a light hand.” Which color should you choose? “My pro tip is to choose a brow pencil shade that’s in between the color of your brow hair and your skin color,” de la Garza said.

If you’d like to take better care of the brows you already have, de la Garza has some old-fashioned advice: “Castor oil is a great brow conditioner, so I recommend it as part of your nightly routine.”

And don’t forget that what goes inside your body will be reflected on the outside, even on your brows. “For nutritional deficiencies, especially iron, zinc and protein, we give corrective supplements,” Wexler said. “Women who’ve experienced a loss of estrogen and progesterone have found nutritional supplements helpful, including multivitamins, biotin, omega-3 fatty acids, ashwagandha and protein.”

What’s ahead for those seeking fuller brows? “Hopefully we’ll have more treatments soon,” Wexler said. “I think the future is in peptides and growth factors. Red LED treatments should be more easily available for brows, as they have been shown to be effective in hair loss.”

Below are some of the experts’ favorite products to give you fuller brows.

HuffPost may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Prices and availability subject to change.

For many of us, lipstick is the ultimate bad romance — great for the few seconds it takes to shoot a glamorous selfie, but then prone to disappear, flake off or otherwise leave you disappointed. Nothing can smear you, dry you out or let you down quite the way lipstick can.

Trinny Woodall can relate. The fashion advisor, columnist, former host of “What Not to Wear” and founder of beauty brand Trinny London still recalls her worst lipstick encounter of the smearing kind. “I was wearing a beautiful white dress and needed to do a quick change,” she told HuffPost. “I had on bright red lipstick, but I forgot all about it and pulled that gorgeous dress over my head. The lipstick left a huge stain all the way down, and I could never get it out.”

Sigh. Many of us can share similar tales of lipstick woe ― especially since we started wearing face masks ― but there is reason for hope, thanks to a bounty of next-gen products that can set you up with all-day lips that still look great. If you feel like life would be easier if you just applied lipstick directly to the rim of your coffee cup and declared defeat, don’t give up hope — these experts are here to help.

For a better understanding of what’s really happening when you open up a tube and pucker up, Michelle Wong, the chemistry Ph.D. behind Lab Muffin Beauty Science, explained the science behind the beauty.

“No-smear lipstick was invented by female chemist Hazel Bishop, founder of cosmetics company Hazel Bishop, Inc., in 1948,” Wong said. ”It became a massive hit immediately after launching in 1950.”

The formulation used bromo acid dyes to get the lipstick to last, but those dyes caused dryness. The Bishop formulation used lanolin in an attempt to counteract that effect, but lips that looked dried out were still common with those earlier products.

Modern long-lasting formulations include polymers and solvents to create a more durable film. But that’s not always a perfect solution, Wong said.

“Long-lasting lipstick films need to stay in place, so they’re more rigid than a comfortable creamy formula, and they contain fewer soft, moisturizing ingredients,” she said. “The film can also bunch up over time and leave bare patches, as your lips move and as the film interacts with saliva, food and drinks.”

“Lipstick started to veer into the long-lasting territory when silicones started to be popularized in makeup formulas starting in the mid- to late ’90s, allowing brands to claim a product could last all day,” makeup artist Jamie Dorman told HuffPost. “Adding silicones to a formula with waxes and pigments creates a longer-lasting and smoother look and feel, while preventing bleeding into lip lines.”

Things are different when it comes to liquids. “With many liquid long-lasting lipstick formulations, waxes are left out of the formulation, and the product is mostly a mix of silicones and pigments,” Dorman said. “This makes the product last longer, but it also eliminates those skin-protecting waxes. That can result in chapped, dry lips if you’re not intentional about hydrating and moisturizing during lip prep.”

Makeup artist Kathy Jeung outlined the prep steps that will help you get the best possible appearance and staying power from your long-wear lipstick:

1. Exfoliate. Start with an exfoliating lip scrub that will remove any dry bits of skin. (Wong suggests just buffing your lips with a damp cloth.) Why is this especially important for long-lasting lipstick? “Long-wear lip color tends to collect in drier areas,” makeup artist Diane da Silva told HuffPost. “Exfoliating lips just before application ensures a smoother application that looks fresher, longer.”

2. Hydrate. “Do this right when you start doing your makeup, so the moisture has time to truly sink in,” Jeung said. “My favorite lip preparation trick is to apply Blistex lip ointment first, then Lucas Paw Paw ointment over that.”

3. Blot. Right before lipstick application, use a tissue to lightly blot excess moisture from lip edges.

4. Pencil. “Using a lip pencil will always help lipstick stay on better and will also help guide the ultimate shape for your lips,” Jeung said.

Another prep tip is to apply a primer before your lip products. “Primers are fantastic for moisturizing and smoothing out lips, as well as helping with longer wear,” Wong said.

“Starting with something like a primer can help, and blotting between each application really helps,” Woodall advised.

For those of you who like to apply setting spray over traditional lipstick, Wong says you’re better off looking for a long-lasting lipstick: “Setting sprays can help, but they’re not as effective as just using a long-wear lip product in the first place.”

Woodall also suggested a technique we’d never heard before: using one kind of lipstick for the top lip, and a different kind for the bottom lip. “Put the lipstick that’s slightly drier in texture on the bottom lip, and it will provide a real pop of color,” she said. “Then put a matching-color lip gloss on the top lip for hydration.”

Here are some of the products that makeup experts recommended.

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Skingasm photo credit TK?