These days, it seems that people will try almost anything to improve their anti-ageing wellness, even to the tune of a bird poo facial (yes, people smear that on their faces). In fact, it was recently rumoured that even Kate Middleton owes the wellbeing of that flawless skin to bee venom, but is that as weird as it gets? Nope! Let’s check out some of the bizarre things people will do in the name of health, wellness and beauty.
1. Placenta masks – Although it seems like something you’d never like to admit to, Jennifer Lopez once admitted to being a fan of anti-ageing placenta face masks, on TV! The placenta is taken after live human births or from other mammals, such as pigs, sheep, or goats, and turned into a freeze-dried, sterilized powder which often gets used after a laser treatment or exfoliation. According to dermatologist Dr Howard Lancer, ‘It’s full of proteins and enzymes, a freeze-dried cellular harvest.’
2. Vitamin IV Drips –Simon Cowell swears by IV drips of nutrient infusions, made up of B12, magnesium, and vitamin C. He recently commented, ‘When you have it done, it’s an incredibly warm feeling. You feel all the vitamins going through you. It’s indescribable but very calming, and then it gives you energy for a good few days afterwards.’ However, Charles A. Bollman, MD, who stopped offering these beauty treatments at his practice about four years ago, notes that IV drips aren’t really that effective and ‘are expensive and take 45 minutes, twice a week.’
3. Vampire Face Lifts – Here’s one for all the Twilight fans out there: vampire face lifts use blood to keep you forever young. Dr Lancer explains, ‘Plasma is used in a purified form to be injected into the skin of the person that donated the blood.’ However, Jeffrey M. Kenkel, MD, professor and vice chairman of the department of plastic surgery at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Centre, warns, ‘It’s hard to justify the cost for what we know about it scientifically,’ as clinical studies haven’t followed patients for long enough after treatment.
However, before you inject your face with bee venom or pile on the placenta, a little cautionary note: Don’t try any of these treatments at home without first consulting your GP. Dr Kenkel advises, ‘From a safety and effectiveness standpoint, patients need to ask their doctors whether there’s any good science behind the cosmetic procedures they want to try. I love it when patients ask me a lot of questions, because once we’re done, I know that they are well informed.’
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