All through history, people have gone to extreme lengths to look their best. This quest for perfect looks is even more pronounced today. With social media being what it has become, the pressure is indeed on to look good at all times.
Unfortunately, some popular beauty trends today can be disastrous to your health and wellbeing. As you work to achieve instagrammable looks, ensure to steer clear of the following trends.
1. Tanning
Indoor tanning booths have been linked to serious health risks. Notwithstanding, young people are still flocking to tanning shops for that much-coveted bronze look.
Sunlamps and indoor tanning beds emit ultraviolet (UV) radiation. This can lead to skin burns, premature skin aging, and eye damage. Tanning is also known to increase your risk of skin cancer.
This aside, it’s also been proven that people that start tanning at an early age can develop what is known as tanorexia. This is essentially a skin tanning addiction.
2. Plastic Surgery
Plastic surgery is a favorite for many people for many reasons; the key one being that it can produce fast results. If you have a pending event you want to bring your A-game, plastic surely can help you do just that.
Fortunately, most plastic surgery procedures are safe and can be carried out successfully. However, your choice of surgeon is critical. If you are dead set on getting a procedure done, ensure to go with a reputable plastic surgeon. Otherwise, you could be in for trouble like a client who trusted Dr. Adam Najem for a lipo and butt lift.
3. Braids and Weaves
Braids give that natural boho look and are extremely easy to maintain. This makes them attractive for summers and vacations.
Weaves, on the other hand, are extremely versatile, allowing women to create different looks within hours. They are a lifesaver for people trying to grow back their natural hair as well. Braids and weaves are touted as protective hairstyles, but are they? Yes and no. Both hair treatments, if done badly or left on for too long, can damage the scalp. They can also cause a hair loss type known as central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia. Over time, this can lead to permanent hair loss.
4. Tattoos
The entertainment industry has made tattoos a sought after beauty statement. These come with their fair share of associated risks, however.
The red, blue, yellow, and green inks used, for one, are known to cause allergic reactions on the tattooed area. This is often characterized by itching. People that get tattoos are also likely to suffer from skin infections, accompanied by redness, pain, and swelling.
Studies have also shown that tattoos increase one’s risk for Hepatitis C. This leads to an inflamed liver, which opens you up to a barrage of medical problems.
5. Circle Lenses
According to fashion blogs, big eyes are in fashion. And you know what that means. For those not naturally gifted with big, doe, Hollywood eyes, a way must be found to have them. Enter circle lenses.
These are similar to contact lenses; only their job is to help widen eyes, making them look bigger. The FDA has not approved of their use, and they are banned for sale in the US. Unfortunately, they are widely available on the internet. The FDA is not the only one that disapproves. Medical professionals have also discouraged their use, noting the potential risk they could cause on the eyes, including blindness.
Assess the Risk
As you go for the different trends and fads in the beauty industry, it’s important to assess the risk vs. the reward. These harmful trends are not only expensive to fix; some can cause irreversible damage leaving you worse off.