While self-isolating at home to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, you might be trying to cut down on the amount of stuff you buy, skincare included. Or you might encounter a skin-care emergency and don’t have access to a drugstore for a quick fix. You might even just be looking for a fun new beauty thing to add to your routine. Because of this, DIY skincare is becoming increasingly popular.
According to dermatologists, making your skin-care products at home can be very beneficial to your skin. Certain common DIY skin-care ingredients can cause far more harm to your skin than good. Here are the ingredients dermatologists say you should avoid outright or approach with caution.
Lemon and other fruits
Although plenty of Pinterest hacks will tell you that lemon is a great at-home skin brightener, the experts would rather you stick to using it in the kitchen. Lemon is acidic and can burn the skin, leaving it raw and discolored. Lemon can even cause something called phytophotodermatitis, an inflammatory skin reaction.
Most other fruits, shouldn’t cause a severe reaction unless you happen to have an allergy to one of them. But be warned, some fruits do come with another downside. Be mindful of staining with berries and fruits, a hazard of the DIY. Always patch-testing your DIY mask before using it all over for this reason.
Toothpaste or baking soda
Although the DIY practice of using toothpaste to treat acne might work due to its antimicrobial triclosan, dermatologists would rather your avoid using it instead of actual acne treatments. The same goes for baking soda, another common DIY hack for acne, for a rather simple reason. Toothpaste and baking soda-can irritate or inflame the skin.
Raw egg
Eggs might be used, but applying them directly to the skin can have some pretty gnarly consequences if you’re not careful. Raw egg can give you a bacterial infection called salmonella. Studies classify salmonella skin infections as rare, but if you image search for them online, you won’t want to risk it.
Vinegar
Some people use vinegar-based toners, thanks to the ingredient’s acidity and pH-balancing properties, but it’s not a dermatologist-approved trick by any means. The smell is awful for skin and too long-lasting and when it vinegar the potentially harmful effects range from irritation, exaggerated sunburn, superficial chemical burn, and depigmentation as a result of the initial irritation.
Spices
Spices in general, just need to be handled with caution. Certain spices can be irritating to some, so stay away or spot-test first. Cinnamon, on the other hand, should be completely avoided.
Although some DIY concoctions can prove beneficial to the skin, be sure not to treat them the same as a product you purchase from a store. “Never do [DIY masks] too often and never leave these products on for considerable amounts of time. And don’t save to reuse — without any preservatives or stabilizers found in store-bought products, these are the best done once, so make what you need for one application at a time for best results.
If you are seeking treatment for a severe skin issue, ask your dermatologist or your health care provider to see who is providing virtual consultations?
