Should you Try These at Home DIY Tik Tok Beauty Trends? A Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon Emphatically Says No! www.lakeshoreplasticsurgery.com According to recent statistics, the viral app Tik Tok has reached over 1 billion monthly users. (Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/27/tiktok-reaches-1-billion-monthly-users.html) With several beauty trends going viral on a daily basis, it can be tempting to experiment with these DIY and less expensive solutions than in office cosmetic surgery visits. However, some of these hacks are at best ineffective or downright dangerous. Board-Certified Chicago, Illinois, Plastic Surgeon Dr. Michael Horn breaks down the most popular Tik Tok beauty hacks you should steer clear of. Using Sea Salt Water to Clear Acne What is it? A simple trick for banishing acne once and for all has gained some serious traction on the app. One user drew a few million views and counting for showing her dramatic transformation as a result of the treatment. After trying “everything” to get rid of her adult acne, she says she sprayed a mixture of sea salt and water on her face twice a day, and that apparently achieved what nothing else could. What’s the potential downside: Water directly from the ocean and sea salt water mixed at home are not the same. DIY options are not generally recommended for skin and using an at home remedy could worsen matters as opposed to seeing a dermatologist. What is ‘Face Taping’? Face Taping is when one uses a piece of tape of any kind, to “freeze” their face while they sleep. The idea is that the tape will keep the muscles in place throughout the night, limiting their motion and therefore minimizing wrinkles. During our sleep, it’s possible we can still make facial expressions and move around as we adjust, using tape is supposed to “keep it in place” preventing wrinkle formation. Is it Safe? Aside from being unrealistic to use a piece of tape to keep your face in place throughout the night, it can do more harm than good. Using a piece of tape, especially one that is “supposed” to hold your skin down for a whole night can damage the skin barrier when you take it off. This tape isn’t made to be safe on the skin and can cause redness, irritation, and acne breakouts. The adhesive must be incredibly tight and therefore, uncomfortable to use for an extended time to “hold” the muscles still. Sunscreen Contouring What is it? The original viral video has a resurgence this past summer. Model Eli Withrow posted a TikTok video where she has sunscreen applied on different parts of her face. She states: “Haters will say it doesn’t work. I’m convinced that if you put a base sunscreen of SPF 30 on, and an SPF 90 on all the spots that you would put highlighter on, the sun will contour your face where you’d put bronzer, and you’ll be naturally snatched all summer.” Pore Vacuuming What is it? This is an at-home device that various different companies put out. It gained traction during the pandemic when many people could not visit doctors for elective treatments. The goal of these tools is to extract dirt, debris, and sebum from the skin in order to reduce blackheads and pore congestion. Face-lifting patches What is it? ‘Face-lifting patches’ are plastic adhesives used to help reduce fine lines and wrinkles overnight. The purpose is to use tape to constrict the muscles in your face and limit their motion to minimize wrinkles. This is an overnight ritual that requires you to sleep with the tape on, keeping you from frowning or making any expressions during your sleep. Wearing it all night is also said to prevent creases caused by sleeping on your front or side. Nasal Tanning Sprays What is it? With an unregulated category or product, ingredients are frequently mixed with dangerous chemicals that vary significantly based on the product. Also, inhaling a solution causes it to travel through the mucous membranes, harming internal organs. You shouldn’t be inhaling substances that haven’t been studied sufficiently, as using medications nasally can affect your sense of smell. They can also potentially have toxic effects on the cilia of the nose, keeping the nose from moving mucus through it normally. This can lead to mucus buildup throughout the nasal cavity, which thickens and forces you to blow out or postnasal drip. Nasal tanning sprays have a range of different ingredients, but most commonly, they contain tyrosine or melanotan as their primary active ingredient. Melanotan is an unregulated synthetic chemical that functions as a hormone and supports melanogenesis, which is the process by which melanin, a black-brown pigment, is produced in the skin. DIY Lip Filler What is it? Once again, another pandemic-fueled aesthetic trend. One way people attempt this at home is through at-home kits to inject their own lip filler through tools called Hyaluron pens. These use pressurized air to force filler into lips instead of needles which are used in a board-certified plastic surgeon or dermatologist’s office.
Dr. Michael Horn Board- Certified Chicago, Illinois Plastic Surgeon www.lakeshoreplasticsurgery.com With more than 10,000 breast augmentation surgeries performed during his career of more than 23 years, Dr. Horn is known in the Chicago land area as the authority on breast augmentation. His artistic eye, mastery and surgical skill in performing various face and body procedures, his dedication to patients’ safety, combined with his focus on unparalleled care and attention, make him one of the most sought-after surgeons in the Midwest. Dr. Horn earned his medical degree at Loyola University in Chicago. He completed a general surgery residency with the Medical College of Wisconsin, as well as a sub-specialty training in plastic surgery with a second residency at Loyola University. Dr. Michael Horn is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the Chicago Society of Plastic Surgeons. Dr. Horn is a frequent lecturer on the subject of plastic surgery and his work has been featured in several professional publications. He frequently attends national meetings to continue developing innovative plastic surgery techniques. His ongoing commitment to patient safety and satisfaction is evident in his personal attention and care to each plastic surgery client. From the initial consultation to the final follow-up exam, Dr. Horn provides compassionate treatment tailored to each individual's specific needs and goals. | 
