26-year-old influencer Tilly Whitfeld shares painful lesson after TikTok freckle trend left her disfigured
What began as an attempt to recreate a sun-kissed beauty look from TikTok, left Australian influencer Tilly Whitfeld with severe scarring and temporary vision loss.
The 26-year-old reality star, who rose to fame on Australia's version of Big Brother, has opened up about her catastrophic DIY freckle procedure.
She hopes to warn others about the dangers of following viral beauty trends without professional guidance.
Whitfeld first revealed the extent of the damage in 2021, after viewers noticed she frequently wore a blue clay mask while appearing on Big Brother.
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At the time, she explained that it was covering a severe reaction on her cheeks and nose following an at-home beauty procedure she had discovered on TikTok.
She later confessed that she had see some viral videos, where other social media users created freckles by repeatedly pricking the skin with sewing needles and tattoo ink.
Whitfeld went online and purchased brown tattoo ink and attempted the procedure herself.
"It didn't hurt at all, so I didn't think I should stop," she told the New York Times.
The results were a world away from the delicate freckles she had hoped for.
Whitfeld suffered severe swelling and a terrifying infection, and temporarily lost vision in one eye as the swelling was so bad.
The damage left her with deep scarring and dark pigmentation across her face, while she reportedly spent almost $12,000 on medical appointments in an attempt to repair the damage.
Whitfeld later discovered that the tattoo ink she had purchased was counterfeit, and she alleged it contained high levels of lead.
Sharing images of her skin on social media, she urged people to learn from her mistakes, and to not be tempted to copy similar online beauty hacks.
"Please please don't try any 'DIY' or 'at home' beauty procedures," she wrote.
"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."
She insisted: "Leave it to the professionals."
Now, years after the ordeal, Whitfeld says the experience has also inspired a new career.
Whitfield told news.com.au that she is developing her own range of freckle-tattoo products.
She says her new range is intended to provide a safer option for people wanting to recreate the look at home, without making the same mistakes she did.
"I've done so many dumb things like DIY myself, so we are just starting a whole DIY brand at home," she said.
The star added that the brand is expected to launch "by the end of the year".
Despite turning the experience into a business idea, Whitfeld has made clear that she would not repeat the original procedure.
When asked whether she would ever attempt a similar treatment at home again, her answer was unequivocal: "No, absolutely not."
Her experience highlights the darker side of viral beauty culture, where seemingly simple tutorials can make potentially risky procedures appear effortless.
As Dr Niket Sonpal previously warned in the NYT: "You have a lot of people claiming to be experts who have no real consequences for giving really bad advice." His advice? Seek professional guidance rather than relying on a video that lasts less than a minute.
Topics: Beauty, Health, Social Media
Jen Thomas