These Are the DIY Beauty Treatments a Cosmetic Surgeon Wants You to Avoid

With various parts of Australia experiencing lockdown measures in recent weeks, the number of DIY beauty treatments completed at home is surely on the rise. And there’s nothing wrong with doing it yourself — we’re fans of the DIY brow tint and ready-to-use wax strips for hair removal — but there are a few things you might want to steer clear of without the guidance of a professional.

“Last year during the first round of lockdowns we saw an alarming number of people experiencing significant issues as a result of trying to undertake cosmetic and beauty treatments themselves at home,” said Dr Vivek Eranki of Cosmetique Cosmetic Surgery Clinics.  

“I heard one story of a patient who purchased a laser hair removal machine online and it arrived to her home within a matter of days. Unfortunately, the machine had come from overseas and was not listed on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods.  The machine caused severe burning and permanent scarring.”

While not all at-home laser hair removal is dangerous (in fact, we love this particular gadget and use it ourselves!), in this case, the device wasn’t up to Australian safety standards. If you’re unsure about what treatments to do and which to leave, Dr Eranki recommends getting in touch with your local beauty expert, be it over the phone or via social media, to ask.

“While I understand how important it is that you are able to access treatments that are part of your overall health and wellbeing regime, please chat to your local Cosmetic Medical Clinic first.  We are always open as well to chat over the phone,” Dr Eranki said. “We may be able to put in place a plan to assist you to access the services you need or to book in for an appointment with priority as soon as lockdowns are wound back.”

Dr Eranki has compiled a detailed list of issues to be aware of, so if you’re unable to leave the house for an appointment and want to take matters into your own hands, these are the treatments to avoid.

Skin peels

“Skin peels delivered in a cosmetic clinical environment are applied under strict protocols by trained professionals,” said Dr Eranki.

“The mixture substance is also of high quality. If you order skin peels online, you have no idea what is in them.  It could be acid and very dangerous for your skin.”

Skin needling

“Skin needling involves the use of engineered and sterilised microneedles on a medical-grade roller or pen that is moved over the top layer of the skin to create tiny punctures on the skin,” Dr Eranki said.

“The treatment requires the skill of an experienced clinician as the micro punctures go through the skin creating a painless injury to the deeper dermal layer. This then triggers wound healing resulting in increased collagen and elastin production in the face.

“While a highly effective and relatively pain-free treatment, it can be quite dangerous if performed using non-sterile equipment or undertaken by someone that doesn’t know what they are doing. Infection and scarring is the biggest issue if not done properly.”

Overseas products

“Overseas products may not be safe.  There is no other way to put it.  If you order products or equipment online from overseas, there is no guarantee they are safe, in fact, they could be very unsafe,” Dr Eranki said.

“Often overseas products can be very good copies and come with fake endorsements and instructions that have been plagiarised from reputable brands.”

Laser hair removal

“Laser hair removal should only be performed by a highly trained clinician. It works by focusing concentrated light on the roots of hair follicles, essentially killing the follicles so they don’t grow back,” Dr Eranki said.

“While completely safe when undertaken in a controlled environment, laser hair removal is not something people should be trying at home. While there are at-home devices on the market, I have seen and heard of far too many incidents where women have been burnt and scarred. Devices purchased online from overseas are especially concerning.”

For more information or to chat with a cosmetic expert, head to the Cosmetique website.