Five Dermatologists Share The Worst DIY Beauty Mistakes

We understand that seeing a dermatologist requires time and money. It’s not surprising that some readers don’t want to make the long trip to the dermatologist and instead take matters into their own hands, given the amount of information available on social media by skin-care experts. TikTok is a great place to find the latest information on skin-care. We can see which ingredients are best for our skin, which products are worth our time, as well as what hacks and tricks will make our skincare lives easier. They’re great if they work! If they don’t work out, great!

Except when there is danger. Some beauty advice online may not be as simple and as harmless as we might think. This is especially true when many of the techniques and gadgets are promoted by people who have little or no experience in skin-care. The after-video might be stunning and “prove” its effectiveness. But what happens when the camera stops working? Disaster. (SPF contouring, looking at you.)

Although some channels and influencers may provide high-quality, well-researched content, it is ultimately up to the viewer to evaluate the usefulness and practicality of the information. Even though dermatologists might give a trend the green light on social media, this doesn’t necessarily mean it is right for you or your skin’s needs. It’s a good idea to consult a dermatologist who has completed medical school to help you decide what is best for your skin.

If you feel tempted to use the latest hack to avoid going to a dermatologist, don’t. This “hack” could end up sending you to the dermatologist you tried to avoid in the first instance. Five board-certified dermatologists shared their worst DIY beauty mistakes.

Scarring caused by self-injected fillers

You shouldn’t think of skipping your appointment for fillers, and instead opt to inject them yourself. Just… don’t. Angela Casey MD, a dermatologist who is also a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Bright Girl youth-care line, shared a story about a bad idea that went horribly wrong.

After self-injecting hyaluronic acids serum into her cheeks at the home, a new patient sought medical attention at my office. She said she had seen a YouTube video about the procedure. She caused her skin to become inflamed, red, and scarred. We had to use oral prednisone and antibiotics to treat her. To make things worse, the patient used topical, rather than injectable, hyaluronic acids for her injections.

Dr. Casey explains that injectable hyaluronic is a sterile medical device that has been approved by FDA and tested for safety. It is manufactured specifically for injection by pharmaceutical companies. Topical hyaluronic is not subjected to the same FDA regulations. A topical hyaluronic serum in a container is not considered a sterile product.

Dr. Casey noted that the patient had some permanent scarring after she treated the inflammation and infection.

Staph Infection Using At-Home Dermaplaning

Dermaplaning is a great way to improve your skin’s appearance if you have a qualified skin-care professional. Sheilagh Maguiness MD, a Minneapolis-based dermatologist, says that dermaplaning “removes fine vellus hairs from the face along with some of the stratum corneum (“the top layer”) of your skin.” It can instantly give you clearer skin, almost like you have just had a chemical peel.

Dr. Maguiness says that dermaplaning can be done at home by people with normal skin using a new, sterile dermaplaning device. However, not all skin types are suitable for this method. For anyone suffering from acne, rosacea or eczema or any other skin conditions such as eczema or polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), she would not recommend at-home treatments. Dermaplaning in such cases can lead to serious side effects and long-term problems.

Dr. Maguiness observed numerous cases in which dermaplaning failed, including ingrown hairs and inflamed acne-like bumps. These complications can be difficult to manage, and require multiple topical treatments. Hyperpigmentation may occur.

Dr. Maguiness warns those suffering from acne, rosacea and eczema as well as those who are prone to hyperpigmentation: “dermaplaning can cause a lot more problems… The close shaving may traumatize hair follicles and can leave microabrasions on the skin which can lead to infection, ingrown hairs, worsening acne.”

The wrong way to use lemon juice peel

Lemons are a common ingredient in DIY skin-care hacks shared via social media (look at you, Pinterest). According to the popular belief, vitamin C is good for skin and lemons are high in vitamin C. Lemons are great for your diet but not for use on the skin.

Marianna Blyumin–Karasik MD is a board-certified dermatologist located in Daive, Florida. She was also cofounder of Precision Skin Institute. This first-hand experience came after a patient tried an online “lemon juice peel” at home. It was meant to exfoliate skin by using lemon juice for a longer period of time.

She says that she developed a severe skin allergy. She tried to pacify it with Vaseline slugging. However, this caused severe congestion and pimple breakouts. To heal her skin and prevent major scarring, we had to use topical steroids and antibiotic tablets for several weeks. To correct her long-term pigmentation, she needed to be treated with laser treatments.

She explains that the acidity of lemons’ citric acid “is an alpha-hydroxy acid exfoliant with low pH and is suitable for sensitive individuals — this could cause skin inflammation and skin barrier disruption.” Dr. BlyuminKarasik says that lemons contain vitamin C and profilin. This is an allergen for approximately 2 percent of the population.

So next time you need a little skin brightening, keep your lemons in the fruit bowl and grab a dermatologist-approved vitamin C serum instead.

Garlic Clove Acne Hack: Burns

For all things wellness, it is tempting to go “natural”. Deanne Mraz Robinson is a Westport-based dermatologist who says that “natural” doesn’t always make the best or safest.

This was Dr. Robinson’s first patient. She had a second-degree burn after she put a whole clove of garlic on a pimple.

These online “hacks” may contain a small amount of truth, but they are not all that true. Dr. Robinson says garlic contains allicin which is antibacterial, antiviral and antiseptic. “This makes it an excellent addition to any diet. However, when it is applied topically to skin, it can cause contact dermatology and, in extreme cases, burns,” Dr. Robinson says.

This was no joke. The patient suffered a second-degree burn, which means that the epidermis and dermis layers of skin were burned. Dr. Robinson stated that the patient needed treatment and laser treatments to reduce scarring.

You might think that there are no serious side effects to using a skin-care trick because it is “natural”. But Dr. Robinson’s wise words will help you see the truth. Poison ivy may be natural but not good for your skin. There are many natural things that can’t be applied to your skin.

Worst Rosacea from Gua Sha

These delicate jade guasha tools are a common sight on #SkinTok. The traditional Chinese healing technique of lymphatic drainage and massage uses a flat stone or other object to scrape the skin. Gua sha advocates claim that this technique improves circulation and collagen production. Gua sha can be irritating to the skin because it scrapes the skin. People with sensitive skin should stay away from this trend.

“I had a patient recently who I was treating for rosacea and who decided to gua sha with a tool she bought online under the guidance of online videos,” Elaine F. Kung MD, a New York City-based dermatologist, assistant professor of Dermatology at New York Presbyterian Weill Cornell Hospital and founder of Future Bright Dermatology.

“She ended up making her rosacea worse and creating more visible blood vessels on the face.” “She reversed all of the progress we had made overnight with her condition by doing gua sha at home,” she says. “We performed an intense pulse light treatment to target blood vessels to reduce reddening and decrease the number of blood vessels she had created.”

However, patients with rosacea or other skin conditions are not necessarily in the clear regarding gua sha. Some people may notice changes in the texture of their skin after gua sha removes the skin’s top layer.

Dr. Kung says, “Think about the skin like a piece or fabric that covers your body. Just like clothing,” Dr. Kung says, “When we rub clothing too often, it causes pilling and texture changes to the clothes. If you rub your skin too often, the same thing could happen to our skin.”

Dr. Kung suggests that patients ask questions about any “hacks” found online, and consult their dermatologist before trying any new skin-care techniques. She says that many of her patients are influenced by advice they see on social media. “The danger is that the advice is not from licensed skin-care professionals… and some of these problems may be irreversible.”