Australian reality TV star Tilly Whitfield is warning her Instagram followers not to participate in the TikTok homemade freckles trend after it left her with permanent scars.
If you’re considering trying the homemade freckle trend on TikTok, think again. That’s the warning Australian reality star Tilly Whitfield gave her fans in a recent Instagram, saying the so-called beauty hack left her with deep below surface level scaring [sic] and pigmentation. Whitfield, a Big Brother Australia contestant, expanded on the ordeal in a New York Times piece this week, explaining how her face swelled up from the infection, causing her to briefly lose sight in one eye. She attributes the infection to the ink, which she purchased on eBay and later realized had large amounts of lead.
Please please don’t try any DIY or at home beauty procedures. I ended up in hospital with temporary loss of vision in my eye due to swelling and was very sick from the infection, not to mention my face was somewhat unrecognizable. Leave it to the professionals.
Whitfeld – Instagram Post
Dermatologists agree that the trend is extremely risky. Expressing particular concern about an unsanitary application or a reaction to the ink.
Taking a safer route by dabbing on henna ink, that’s still dangerous
This is concerning, placing ink in a permanent or semi-permanent location in the skin could create big problems if that ink isn’t designed to be injected or deposited in the skin. You could develop some type of allergic reaction to the ink. Even ink that has been designed for the skin can create an allergic reaction in some people in some circumstances, this can lead to surgical excision to remove the ink. Henna would not necessarily prevent the risk because the infection could come from the needle or other sources, regardless of the type of ink. If the henna, the needle or the skin are not properly sterilized, it can lead to infection.
Dr. Jeremy Fenton – Schweiger Dermatology Group NYC
Dustin Portela, a board-certified dermatologist who runs a popular TikTok account with more than 1 million followers, is often making videos to dispel beauty hacks. He had yet to hear of the freckle trend but is now equally worried about the implications.
People have to remember what the function of our skin is it’s to keep bad things out and to keep good things in. We have a very robust immune system in the skin and when you introduce something that’s potentially got a pathogen or is not designed to be put in the skin, your immune system is going to react to that. And it’s really just doing its job. When the immune system goes overboard, it can contribute to scarring and inflammation. I understand the motivation behind it, you know, trying to do something that may be less expensive, that you can do at home without the inconvenience of going into an office.
Dustin Portela
He says he doesn’t blame those who find it appealing but hopes that Whitfield’s story will be a warning to others. Obviously, doing at-home freckle tattooing might look like it’s only going to cost you $20 versus having a professional makeup artist do that, but now she is going to be paying probably thousands of dollars in lasers and creams and stuff to help restore her appearance.
Fenton agrees, saying that those who are determined to have the freckled look without them should go see someone who is trained in semi-permanent tattoos.
If you are set on getting a tattoo for a freckled look, see a professional artist who can do the procedure under proper conditions with the proper tools and ink. But beware, trends change and you may not like the freckled look if it hangs out too long.
Fenton
