At-home skin care treatments have been the name of the game since coronavirus disrupted our lives.
However, while at-home mani-pedis and LED facemasks are fair game, certain beauty projects should be left to professionals.
Think maintenance, not makeover.
While it might be tempting to wax off your brows or chop off your hair, if you don’t have any experience with wax or a pair of scissors, you might want to book an appointment with your aesthetician or stylist.
So, are you curious to know what beauty treatments you need to flat-out avoid, no questions asked?
Keep scrolling to find out.
Chemical Peels
Exfoliation is incredible but to an extent. Some of us are too keen on getting smooth skin that we over-exert our skin with chemical peels.
You see, unlike your DIY face scrubs, chemical peels remove the outer layer of your skin during the process.
While 10-30% of acid in a peel is normal, you should always go for one on the lower side. If not, you could damage your skin.
Of course, some at-home peels are safe and contain low acid concentrations, but most people tend to go for the highly concentrated ones, watch a YouTube tutorial and then apply the peel, only to end up with burnt skin.
The best at-home peel is a superficial one. A peel that can seamlessly slough off the top layer of the skin without leaving you looking like a character out of a horror movie.
Cuticle Trims
Cuticle care is imperative – leave then frayed, and you’ll end up with cracked nail beds, not to mention a risk of inflammation if left untreated.
However, it would be best if you didn’t result to uprooting them.
Cuticles represent the root of your nail, so unprofessional trimming can cause your nails to grow out with defects.
Therefore, instead of grabbing the cuticle cutter, go for a moisturizing oil, a proper carrier oil, or fast-absorbing hair oil.
They will help condition your nail beds and leave them looking healthy asf.
Extractions
Do you have a stubborn blackhead or cyst that doesn’t seem to fade away even after using top-notch skincare ingredients? Are you now thinking of doing an extraction?
Wait. Hold up. Before you start going crazy and watch reruns of Dr. Pimple Popper, you might want to take a step back.
Like chemical peels, facial extractions are one of those beauty projects that SHOULD remain as in-office procedures.
When performed incorrectly, facial extractions can cause more pimples to pop up, destroying months of skincare work.
If performed too aggressively, extractions can also lead to pigmentation, acne scars, and worse, skin infections if you’re not careful.
There’s a laundry list of remedies you can try before going on attack mode. You can always whip up some DIY pimple-attacking facemasks or try exfoliating products with glycolic acid since it works to clear blemishes.
Yes, they might not be instantaneous, but it will fair better in the end. And, in any case, aren’t good things always worth waiting for?
Dermal Fillers
This one seems like a non-brainer – Do not (even if someone holds a gun to your head) ever try giving yourself derma-fillers at home!
When done incorrectly and with the wrong products, dermal fillers are cause severe consequences like skin infections, skin necrosis, nerve damage, and even blindness.
You should only trust a trained medical professional like a board-certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon for this procedure.
Microdermabrasion
When your skin seems to be itching from stress and anxiety, it can be tempting to raid your pantry for some serious body-scrubbing ingredients or reach out for the popular microdermabrasion tools.
As with all other forms of exfoliators, exerting too much pressure on your skin can cause injuries leading to hyperpigmentation, inflammation, skin infections, and even scarring.
Therefore, rather than dropping a dime on the costly microdermabrasion tools and additional skincare expert expenses, grab a small-grain scrub or whip up a gentle DIY body scrub and start slow with once or twice a week exfoliations.
Microneedling
Microneedling is one of the most popular beauty treatments today.
Due to this popularity, there are more and more people investing in at-home micro needling tools. However, this doesn’t mean you should start using them right away.
If not used properly, micro-needling tools can cause tissue scarring or post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
So, save yourself the pain and cost of after-care procedures by booking an in-office microneedling treatment with a trusted aesthetician.
While the tiny pinpricks might help enhance texture and tautness, motorized microneedling devices are more precise when performed by a certified physician.
Sure, you might have to wait weeks for the treatment, but the outcome with be much better than dealing with scarring or hyperpigmentation.
