We go to great lengths for beauty. And while some new makeup or new clothes never hurt anyone, you should never go so far in your pursuit of beauty that you risk your health. These common beauty practices promise good looks, but they come with some major risks that just don't make them worth your time.
Cheap, Unsanitary Mani-Pedis
Let's face it, most of us are on a budget especially on the non-essentials. One thing that you should never skimp on is your mani/pedi salon. To make a long story short, you can end up with one of the following if your nail treatment isn't as sanitary as it should be: herpes, nail fungus, warts or bacterial infections.
Ear Candles
Ear candling is when a hollow tube coated with paraffin or wax is inserted into the ear and then lit on fire. It is a terrible idea for so many obvious reasons. The homeopathic benefits have never been tested or proven to benefit you in any way.
Waist Training
It is an appealing thought that if you continually constrict your waist with corsets that it will end up shrinking. Unfortunately there are some seriously negative side effects if done incorrectly. Ribs can get fractured, breathing impaired, and organs getting displaced are just some of the worst problems that can happen.
Juice Cleanse
This diet is purported to help you lose weight and toxins quickly. Starvation is the main reason people actually see results. Doing this cleanse, especially multiple times, can break down muscle tissue and also damage the heart.
Brazilian Blowout
How many celebrities and magazines have sung the praises of a Brazilian Blowout? What they don't tell you is that large quantities of formaldehyde are used during this process. The FDA has warned against this beauty treatment so you definitely should avoid this on your next trip to the salon.
Brazilian Wax
Some ladies and their significant others prefer to be hair-less down there but are the risks worth it? Aside from the pain of getting waxed in a sensitive area, you can get a really nasty infection. If that doesn't sound bad enough then listen to this- it can remove pieces of your skin as well, ouch.
Tanning Beds
People finally seem to be getting the idea that tanning beds are a bad idea. Unfortunately there is still a whole lot of people that still tan despite knowing that they might end up with skin cancer. Here is a rather new fact for you- tanning can be addictive just like tobacco or gambling.
Gel Manicures
Gel manicures are hugely popular right now because of their chip-free wear and long wearability. There are some downsides to this type of manicure with the obvious being the damage to the natural nails from the harsh chemicals. The worst aspect is that you essentially tan your hands during the drying process under the UV nail dryer putting users at risk for cancer.
Laser Hair Removal
This is another growing trend. Laser hair removal saves people time by not having to shave or get treatments very frequently. During the laser process, dangerous chemicals are released into the air. Inhaling these fine particles and chemicals can lead to health problems in the future.
Botox
This the celebrity favorite beauty treatment for appearing younger. Generally if it is done correctly, others are not supposed to be able to tell that someone has had Botox but we have all seen pictures of people where they just did not look right after the procedure. Other than having a frozen face,the risks include drooping eyelids, muscle weakness and even death.
Hair Bleaching
Although bleaching your hair is a great way to change your appearance, it's horrible for the health of your hair. The peroxide and other chemicals in the bleach can cause breakage, lasting discoloration, drying out, and even burning of the scalp.
Chemical Peel
Many people are trying chemical peels in hopes of getting younger looking skin. Since the treatment involves soaking the skin in chemicals, of course there can be negative side effects, such as redness, swelling, discoloration, scaling or crustiness, infection, and even organ failure in some cases.
Artificial Eye Lashes
Okay, this really isn't harmful to your health, but fake eyelashes could be ruining your real ones. The risks include an allergic reaction to the glue and erosion of the eyelid, causing permanent damage to your real eyelashes.
Dirty Makeup Brushes
Always clean your new makeup brushes. You don't know who touched them before you and what bacteria they could have transferred onto them. Put a small drop of Dawn dish soap in a bowl of lukewarm water and swirl your brushes around for about two minutes.
Eyebrow Waxing
Aside from that fact that if it goes horribly wrong there aren't a lot of ways to fix it, regular eyebrow waxing has a few cons you should consider. Some people have been burned by the wax, it can damage the hair follicles over time, and skin can be ripped off along with hair.