TikTok DIY ‘tweakments’ involving thread lifts and filler risk leaving young users with serious long-term damage, expert warns
- On TikTok alone, the #skincare tag has more than 79 billion views
- It is awash with people offering advice and tips but not everyone is trained
- Expert Amish Patel has warned people to be careful when scrolling through
- He has expressed concern that those watching will copy the procedures
DIY skincare videos on TikTok and YouTube are dangerous as they could encourage beauty fans to try and inject fillers themselves, an expert has warned.
On TikTok alone, the #skincare tag has more than 79 billion views, and it is awash with people offering advice and tips on everything from Botox to how to create ‘faux’ freckles.
However Amish Patel, of south-east England’s Intrigue Cosmetic Clinic, is warning people to be vigilant when they are scrolling through these online platforms, after seeing a rise in ‘DIY’ videos, where people inject fillers into their face and lips as they could cause serious, long-term damage.
He has also expressed worries over the young demographic who can see the videos, fearing that they may try and copy them themselves.
In one video, a user is seen injecting filler into her face while she looks directly into the camera. The only warning on the video is ‘DO NOT do this at home’ while in another she writes: ‘WARNING!’ while showing people how to use PLLA Screw Threads (pictured)
Another account has shared numerous videos on her YouTube page, The DIY Beauty Lab, which documents how to do certain treatments. These include a DIY nose job to fix a crooked nose which is completed with Hyaluronic Acid and a Hyaluronic Pen (pictured)
He said: ‘Browsing through the platform, I have seen a few ‘DIY face filler’ videos and whilst some of these range from DIY lip plumping techniques, most of which simply irritate the lip skin with homemade topical solutions to give temporary plumpness to lips, but more concerning are videos of people injecting themselves with the entire process shown; almost giving a step-by-step to the camera.’
Alongside tutorials on how to do microdermabrasion and micro needling at home, there are numerous videos about face filler.
These include videos from registered clinics about the procedure but also clips of people doing ‘DIY’ filler.
In one video, one user is seen injecting filler into her face while she looks directly into the camera.
The only warning on the video is ‘DO NOT do this at home’ while in another she writes: ‘WARNING!’ while showing people how to use PLLA Screw Threads.
When asked by one of her commenters where she learned to do a thread lift, in another of her videos, she admitted: ‘I am actually not a trained professional, that’s why I won’t touch someone else’s face with threads.’
Dr Patel (pictured) has also warned of health concerns and possible serious side effects of DIY facial filler
There are also videos of people injecting themselves with Hyaluron pens on TikTok, a trend which was criticised last year by experts.
The pens were originally developed for insulin injections but were being touted as a pain-free way for people to plump up their lips.
Dermatologist Debra Jaliman had said that the filler in the videos could lead to lumps, swelling or blindness.
And Dr Patel has also warned of health concerns and possible serious side effects of DIY facial filler: ‘The face has a complex network of veins and arteries.
‘If the filler hits one of these blood vessels, it can cause vascular occlusion, leading to tissue death and even blindness.
‘An experienced medical professional would, in the event of an emergency, be able to spot and deal with any complications immediately, including having immediate access to drugs that could prevent next level trauma.’
But as there is such a high volume of information available online and particularly on TikTok, Dr Patel is concerned that inexperienced people, even children, will copy the videos at home and cause themselves serious harm.
He said: ‘If administered by inexperienced hands, DIY fillers can at the very least cause facial unbalance, visible lumps, facial disfigurement and even longer-term facial nerve damage.’
There have already been examples of TikTok beauty trends gone wrong.
One person did a chemical peel at home after seeing it on TikTok and ordering the products online which left her with a patch of skin burnt off her cheek.
It comes as the facial injectable market continues to rocket online, with people buying what Dr Patel worries are often fake products.
He is also concerned that the quality, performance and safety of the products can vary widely, leaving people at risk of long-term complications.
Dr Patel added: ‘Unfortunately, anyone can search for and purchase these products online due to the lack of regulation. They can also inject other people without any registration or qualification, making it imperative that you put your face in safe, experienced and professional hands.
‘With so many filler brands on the market and fake filler brands, these can vary in quality, performance and safety with the risk of long term complications.’
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