TikTok’s viral full-face wax ‘clearly not a good idea’, warns dermatologist
Dermatologists have warned against participating in a full-face hot wax trend after a Dutch barber posted videos of it to TikTok.
Barbershop, Kapsalon Freedom, which is based in the Netherlands, has been posting videos of people getting their entire faces waxed - including hot wax covering their eyes.
But spokespeople for the British Association of Dermatologists and British Skin Foundation have warned against trying this practice at home.
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“It is clearly not a good idea to cover the whole face with wax,” says Dr Emma Wedgeworth, consultant dermatologist and British Skin Foundation spokesperson.
“The bottom line is that this is a senseless practice, which has more potential for harm than good and I would not advise it.”
Wedgeworth says she particularly advises against waxing inside the nose, as the skin here is delicate and blood vessels sit close to the surface.
Dr Anjali Mahto of the British Association of Dermatologists also warned against following social media-led beauty trends.
“Social media platforms have the ability of quickly spreading health and beauty trends, through use of hashtags and challenges, but one thing that is rarely talked about is whether these trends are actually good for you,” Mahto adds.
“Waxing sensitive areas of your face should always be approached with caution, especially if you are trying to do this yourself.
"Waxing is a traumatic process for the skin, especially sensitive areas such as those found around the eyes. These areas can become inflamed and irritated, in some cases tiny pimples or pus-filled bumps could develop as a result, this is known as folliculitis.
"Children typically have more sensitive skin than adults meaning it will handle the trauma of waxing poorly.”
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While Yahoo UK has contacted the barber in question for comment, it’s unclear what the benefit is of full-face waxing.
Wedgeworth adds that full face waxing is not a good treatment for blackheads as the wax is unlikely to improve any congestion.
“The wax will not get deep enough into the pore and even if surface pigments are removed, these will just reaccumulate. There are far safer and more effective ways of removing blackheads,” she advises.
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Mahto says you should also avoid waxing if you have an active lesion from a cold sore as it can be extremely painful.
Mahto continues: “If you do see a beauty trend or challenge on social media, we recommend that you do your research on the potential side effects.”
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