Blackheads are the bane of many in the quest for perfect skin - and now a skincare expert has warned against using an eyelash curler to squeeze clogged pores in the wake of a new beauty craze.
The squeamish among us (and those not a fan of Dr Pimple Popper) may want to avoid the latest viral video on the '5-Minute Crafts MEN' YouTube Channel, which sees a man using the beauty tool to tackle blackheads on his nose.
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And while some may want to reach for an eye curler, leading aesthetician Simone Shoffman, UK Training Manager at Thérapie Clinic, urges popaholics to do anything but as you more than likely cause more damage to your skin.
Speaking to Pretty 52, the skincare expert explained that using the tool could cause scarring as well as further congestion to the area rather than relive the blackhead, which are caused when dirt gets trapped in an open pore.
"It can definitely cause a lot of trauma to the skin," she said. "It can cause broken capillaries by squeezing the nose because it's a very thin area of skin.
"You could potentially push any congestion further into the skin, giving you more congestion or potentially a nodular cyst.
Adding: "Also you would cause marking on the area for significant periods of time."
Reflecting on the rather gross video, she continued: "It wouldn't work out like that in real life if you did that.
"They must have been really loose in order for them to come out like that whereas most people would have had to put some kind of natural acid [such as lactic, glycolic and salicylic] on the skin to break the congestion up."
If you do end up trying this hack, Shoffman warns that you could end up with "spider veins" and "broken capillaries" that get worse the older you get - and would need an expensive treatment, such as laser therapy, to get rid of the damage.
Although you may be hankering to get rid of your pesky clogged pores, the skin specialist suggests regular facials with a professional and using a good exfoliator, one with "active acids in it" rather than using physical extraction - i.e. your fingers or eye curlers.
She said: "People often wince when you say acid but it more things like lactic, glycolic and salicylic.
"And all those things are derived from national elements; fruits, trees and plants, so when you put them on the skin they very gently dissolve all the dead skin cells and any build up.
"For example, salicylic acid is very anti-bacterial as well so helps to reduce pore size and unclog pores."
So whatever you do put the eye curler down - unless you're actually curling your eyelashes!
Featured Image Credit: PexelsTopics: Hair and Beauty, Health