By Joséphine Li
DIY beauty trends on TikTok could be harmful and risky—such as using eyelash glue to make lips appear plumper, applying bleach to whiten teeth, removing moles at home. When these videos went viral, they encouraged other users to copy the so-called “beauty hacks,” which could cause permanent damage.
TikTok told the media the videos did not violate its community guidelines; however, after viewing those videos, pundits in the relevant fields—Association of Dermatologists, Skin Foundation, Dental Association, have issued warnings about copying these treatments on social media.
According to medical experts’ advice, it is of utter importance to make sure that users understand that social media should not be used as the key source for dermatology treatments.
When it comes to skin issues, it can lead to panic or fear, which causes wasting of resources such as potential delay in treatment, as well as potentially worsening one’s mental wellbeing.
Scraping off
Some beauty hack videos on TikTok promote using physical or chemical ways to remove moles. Medical experts advise all moles should be checked by a professional prior to removal. Dr. Perry, medical director of Cosmedics skin clinics, said that there is no safe way to remove a mole at home. This needs to be done by a qualified dermatologist who has years of training.
Using chemicals or attempting to scrape off a mole without professional guidance or supervision could lead to infections, scarring, bleeding and even deformity of the area. One peculiar approach recommends applying eyelash glue to the skin. Tiktok users, especially teenagers, use this technique to create a plumping effect. However, this quick-and-easy-ish tip can lead to serious consequences, such as scarring or even permanent disfigurement.
“Eyelash glue contains cyanoacrylate which is known to be a contact allergen, applying a potentially allergenic chemical to lips could result in a severe reaction.” Said the Skin Foundation spokesman consultant dermatologist Dr. Sheraz.
Meanwhile, some cosmetic surgeons told the media they had seen some videos of lip-filler kits or at-home Botox on social media.
Applying bleach
TikTok videos with the hashtag “teeth-whitening” have amassed about 284 million views. Some suggest applying bleach to teeth to avoid “expensive” over-the-counter treatments.
Household bleaches may also contain other bleaching compounds. Under the regulation, teeth-whitening products should only be sold directly to the public if they contain no more than 0.1 percent hydrogen peroxide. Anything above this amount supplied or used without the supervision of a professional would be illegal.
The Dental Association said administering the wrong products at home might cause permanent damage. Whitening teeth using products that contain more hydrogen peroxide than that permitted in over-the-counter products can be harmful.
The representative of The Dental Association expressed concern regarding the DIY “beauty hacks” trend. According to the representative’s opinion, it’s too dangerous for people to use higher concentrations without professional supervision. It could lead to severe damage to gums and teeth, such as gum sensitivity, burns to the mouth, as well as irritated or inflamed gums.
After being informed of the medical expert’s opinion on these videos, TikTok insisted these videos did not break their community rules. A representative of Tiktok stated that it is their utmost priority to keep their users on TikTok safe. The community rules make clear that they will remove content promoting dangerous behavior that might lead to physical harm and serious injury.
“TikTok is continuously evaluating its policies and processes to ensure our team is doing everything possible to keep our users safe.” the representative added.
