3 Treatments NOT To Do At home!
We often encounter patients that took matters into their own hands, causing more damage than good. At-home treatments and mini devices are very accessible now through online shopping, but unfortunately most of these treatments are very user dependant which can lead to some disastrous consequences like scarring and hyperpigmentation.
1. Microneedling.
Microneedling is excellent for collagen stimulation. However it does this by creating micro punctures in the skin that often leads to bleeding. At Skin Technique this is performed using sterile needles each time, the skin is carefully disinfected prior to the treatment and after-care products and instructions are provided before we send you home. Your bathroom is a breeding ground for bacteria, but most importantly, people who purchase at-home needling devices don’t use the correct techniques to ensure a skin injury doesn’t occur. This can lead to scratches and scarring as well as post inflammatory hyperpigmentation in darker skin types. Avoid!
2. Harsh chemical peels.
We’ve had many patients order online chemical peels, that aren’t even Health Canada approved, who have caused significant burning and injury to their skin. The other extreme is patients who over use milder at-home peels thinking it will give a better outcome. Peels, especially those over 10%, can burn the skin and cause hyperpigmentation if left on too long. Using less than 10% glycolic and 2% salicylic acid is safer, but if you overuse them you can have the same bad outcome.
When used professionally, peels are a beautiful way to resurface the skin and brighten the complexion, and I believe this should always be done in a medical setting with the correct pre and after care.
3. At- home energy devices on darker skin types.
There are IPL/ hair removal devices one can buy for use at home. On darker skin types there’s an increased risk for hyperpigmentation (we’ve seen A LOT) and should rather be performed in a medical clinic with state of the art equipment designed for all skin types. Even picking at blackheads or whiteheads when you have darker skin has a very high risk of post inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) that can take months and even years to treat.
So think twice before performing risky beauty treatments at home. Sometimes they’re too good to be true, but more often than not they do more harm than good.