CHENNAI: The internet is an interesting space, it has given us access to endless number of makeup and beauty tutorials along with skin hacks that promise to revolutionise your beauty routine. However, take a step back and analyse the beauty regime before you start religiously using it. We have identified few viral beauty trends that you should definitely skip:
Dental floss to extract blackheads
It is important to note that if blackheads don’t come out, don’t pick, or use something sharp (your nails) or use a dental floss as you can potentially scar the skin. Instead, try salicylic acid cleansers or scrubs or go to a medical professional for clean ups or MediFacials.
Using deodorant as a face primer
Your armpits have way more sweat glands and much thicker hair follicles as compared to your face. If you apply deodorant or antiperspirants to your face, you run the risk of not only blocking your pores, but also of causing your oil glands to go into overdrive. Using deodorant on the face can lead to more serious skin problems and blemishes.
Applying toothpaste to a pimple
Applying toothpaste on a pimple can lead to pigmentation and other irritation. These spots or patches will take more time to fade. It’s ideal to get medical help to cure pimples than to try out things at home.
Skin Gritting
Skin gritting refers to the viral practice of first cleaning your face with an oil based cleanser, then applying a clay face mask, wash it off, and then, finally, cleaning your face with an oil based cleanser again, vigorously massaging it into the skin. When you follow this method, it strips the skin’s protective barrier, known as Acid Mantle leaving it open to bacterial invasion. Normally it takes 3.5 hours for the skin to return to its normal pH. So, skin gritting is not a good idea.
Using nail polish to cover cold sores
A bad scenario is having a cold sore, but a worse scenario is having a cold sore in addition to a massive allergic reaction caused by clear nail polish on it.
(The writer is a dermatologist and the founder of Kosmoderma Skin & Hair Clinic)