Dermatologists reveal 8 TikTok skin trends they would never support

TikTok has a video for everything you want to know: inspiration for the latest hair color trends, a workout that’s sure to finally grow your glutes, and of course, an endless supply of skin care advice.

But that doesn’t mean all advice is worth following. In fact, there is so much misinformation about health and wellness on social media these days that countless doctors have become content creators themselves just to counteract it.

We asked dermatologists (some of whom are online as regularly as we are) which TikTok skincare trends they would never do themselves, and they delivered.

1. The Morning Shed

You know the TikToks – a bleary-eyed girl standing at her bathroom counter at 6 a.m She peeled off layers of cloth masks and surgical tape that she wore overnight. Dermatologists aren’t here for overuse of skin care products because you know these manufacturers put more products on before any masks.

“There is limited data to support the use of many of the products shown in the morning dandruff videos,” he said Dr. Brendan CampDermatologist at MDCS Dermatology. “Using too many products on the skin can break down the skin barrier and make it susceptible to irritating contact dermatitis. This means redness, itching, dryness and irritation. Maintaining a streamlined, simple routine that you can commit to every night will most likely be more effective in the long run than using a complex set of products occasionally.”

2. Using beef tallow as a moisturizer

This trend has increased significantly in recent months more and more Tik Tokers If you’re aiming for glass skin, swear by the substance as an all-natural moisturizer that beats all others. That said, it’s literally beef fat, so you’ll want to do a little research before applying it.

“First of all, it doesn’t smell good. Secondly, it offers no real advantage over a traditional moisturizer,” he said Dr. Muneeb Shaha dermatologist at Hudson Dermatology and Laser Surgery in New York City who is also well known as popular TikTok user “DermDoctor.”

“Rubbing beef fat on my skin not only sounds unappealing, it’s definitely a situation where natural doesn’t mean better,” he said Dr. Brooke Jeffy, a board-certified dermatologist in Scottsdale, Arizona. “Whether it helps hydrate the skin is debatable, but it definitely seals the skin and traps oil, dead skin, and bacteria, which is a recipe for inflammation and breakouts.”

3. Wear rubber bands on your ears for lymphatic drainage

That’s what they say on the internet wrap a rubber band around it over each of your ears and wearing it there for a period of time (the amount of time varies in each video) can help with lymphatic drainage from your face. Doctors say that’s not really the case.

“While this won’t do anything for swelling, it will affect blood flow to the ears, which can lead to cauliflower ears – which is not attractive,” Jeffy added.

4. Ice cream rolls

Ice scooters are great in theory, but potentially dangerous in real life. Some experts swear that it reduces swelling, but caution should still be exercised.

“If you leave the ice in one place for too long, thermal injury can occur. So yeah, it’s not something I use in my daily routine,” Shah said. “Ice rolling or even just dunking your face in ice water in the morning can give you shock and help with swelling by constricting blood vessels. But applying ice to the face will not provide any benefits in the long run.”

If you want to reap the benefits without the risks, other dermatologists recommend grabbing a slice of cucumber (cold from the fridge) and applying it to your face, or simply holding your face in the stream of a cool shower for a while.

5. Contour with sunscreen

By now we all know that sun exposure is bad news and increases the risk of developing skin cancer. But TikTokers use it SPF to highlight their facesThis causes the rest of the face to be darkened (or burned) by the sun, creating a long-lasting, natural contour. This is a trend that dermatologists don’t approve of, he said Dr. Blair Murphy Rosea dermatologist at Laser and Skin Surgery Center of New York.

“Sunscreen should be applied to the entire skin. Look for a broad-spectrum mineral sunscreen that contains zinc oxide or titanium dioxide with an SPF of 30 or higher, and most importantly, reapply appropriately. “As a general rule of thumb, you should apply two fingers of sunscreen to cover your face, ears and neck, and more on the bare scalp,” she said.

“Sunscreen should be applied to all exposed skin areas to protect against harmful ultraviolet radiation,” Camp added. “Selective application of sunscreen makes untreated areas more susceptible to sunburn and sun damage and increases the risk of developing skin cancer later.”

Now seems like a good time to recommend trying it Trend towards artificial tanning contours instead.

6. BB glow treatments and microneedling makeup into the skin

These treatments include Applying pigments to the skin and microneedling, which essentially promises a semi-permanent form of foundation. Dermatologists strongly reject this.

“Using small needles to push makeup deeper into the skin to create a longer-lasting semi-permanent tattoo should be avoided at all costs. This is dangerous and carries a high risk of infection, scarring and pigment changes. Makeup is not designed to be injected into the skin. It is a foreign body that will likely cause problems with microneedling,” Murphy-Rose warned.

Camp agrees, saying that unlike pigments used for eyebrow microblading or other permanent makeup services, products often used online in these treatments are “not intended for placement in the dermis ” are.

7. Using antibacterial soap as a facial cleanser

Yes, the 99 cent bottle of orange dial it is a hot commodity on TikTok. Its proponents say that it quickly eliminates acne and blackheads and prevents the formation of new skin blemishes. Unfortunately, that’s not all, say derms.

“Before I became a dermatologist, I did this for a long time. It didn’t do anything bad to me, but it was pretty drying, and you generally don’t need antibacterial soap on your face,” Shah said. “Your skin has a microbiome made up of different organisms, so you really don’t want to cleanse your skin of all the bacteria or you could mess up your microbiome. Newer cleansers are designed to cleanse the skin and protect the skin barrier by leaving moisture behind.”

Murphy-Rose added: “I’d be lying if I told you I’ve never done this in a pinch, but it’s not recommended for everyday use and can cause skin irritation, dryness and disruption of the skin barrier due to the harsh effects “Ingredients found in most antibacterial hand soaps.”

8. DIY injections

You can do Botox buy online. Hyaluronic sticks included Make your own lip filler. All of this generally scares dermatologists, and you won’t catch them trying these products at home.

“These home self-injections are so scary and I hope we can convince people to stop trying them,” Murphy-Rose said. “Hyaluronic pens carry inherent, serious risks such as serious infections and disfiguring tissue necrosis or death and even blindness and scarring. Leave injections to experienced injectors with extensive knowledge of anatomy, control of the needle, and the ability to identify and correct problems as they arise.”