{"id":20550,"date":"2021-08-25T12:02:51","date_gmt":"2021-08-25T19:02:51","guid":{"rendered":"https://www.realself.com\/news\/?p=20550"},"modified":"2024-02-16T09:50:09","modified_gmt":"2024-02-16T17:50:09","slug":"busting-tiktok-beauty-myths","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https://www.realself.com\/news\/busting-tiktok-beauty-myths","title":{"rendered":"TikTok\u2019s Most Bizarre Beauty Myths\u2014and How Plastic Surgeons Are Busting Them"},"content":{"rendered":"

It began like many videos that flirt with viral status on TikTok: a beautiful girl, a controversial cosmetic procedure, and a results reveal. Except this time, there was another character who had inserted himself into the narrative. As the girl’s skin was stretched<\/a> tight at her temples by an invisible thread, Dr. Anthony Youn<\/a>, the self-proclaimed ‘holistic plastic surgeon,’ offered his own commentary. “I hope your doctor told you six months after your thread lift you’ll be back to where you started,” he says with a shrug. <\/p>

Dr. Youn, based in Troy, Michigan, is one of the many surgeons who have found a unique platform on social media to elevate their professional profile while educating the masses. The result is a dedicated combined following of almost 6 million, all eagerly ingesting his procedural documentation, before-and-after reaction clips, and expert analysis of celebrity cosmetic work. “Tony woke up and chose violence,” reads a top comment attached<\/a> to his ‘expose’ videos, while other users praise the surgeon’s impulsive expressions. <\/p>

But it’s Dr. Youn’s myth-busting “fact or cap” format, in which he unearths the most unhinged beauty hacks percolating on the Explore page and evaluates their legitimacy, that has become his most popular. Similarly, Dr. Jerry R. Chidester<\/a>, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Draper, Utah, notes that there are still many misconceptions about common breast surgeries and nonsurgical alternatives to breast enhancement circulating on social media, propelling him to set his 60,000 followers straight. From olive-oil massages for bigger breasts to obscure face-shaping devices, here are the myths top surgeons are debunking on social media. <\/p>

Myth #1: Pinching your face can reshape it<\/h2>

Ever since the dawn of TikTok, clips illustrating quick-fix nonsurgical methods to alter your face in some capacity have continued to grow in popularity. While some are a little more tried-and-true, such as gua sha (though, Dr. Youn notes, any “face-sculpting technique is temporary and lasting results vary”), there are many extreme alternatives—and devices<\/a>—that claim fast results.  <\/p>

The pseudo lip lift<\/a>—which involves pulling your lip up and holding it there for an extended period—is something that Dr. Youn has tackled online several times. In his response, Dr. Youn explains that tugging at a body part has no impact on its shape—be it the lips, nose, or nipples. <\/p>

“I wanted to entertain, as well as inform, in my videos,” Dr. Youn explains. “The way people present their ‘results’ can make it seem like some of these methods really work, but any lasting impact can only really be achieved with surgery or injectables. Thinking that putting a clip on your nose will reshape it is one of the most bizarre myths I’ve come across.” <\/p>

If you’re serious about changing any feature, you’re better off saving your time, and money, for a cosmetic procedure. Oh, and the same goes for fat reduction massages<\/a>. <\/p>

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Myth #2: Breast milk is a skin-care wonder<\/h2>

Women applying breast milk to their faces went viral on TikTok, and Dr. Youn was quick to address claims that breast milk can rid your face of ailments from eczema to acne. While he acknowledges<\/a> that breast milk is both antimicrobial and contains fats that can make for a softer, more hydrated complexion, he doesn’t recommend trying it at home.  <\/p>

“Breast-milk facials do exist as real-life beauty treatments,” he claims, “and are mostly associated with acne due to their antibacterial properties, but using someone else’s breast milk can mean a myriad of other issues, including communicable diseases.” For clear skin, opt for tried-and-true ingredients like vitamin C and retinol. <\/p>

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