Children who observe a TikTok pattern for utilizing calamine lotion as make-up might be vulnerable to extreme reactions and pores and skin harm, consultants have warned.
The drugs, on sale in pharmacies for as little as £1.60 a bottle, is used to cut back ache and itching attributable to minor pores and skin issues together with sunburn, insect bites and stings.
It’s notably useful in weeping pores and skin situations which trigger the pores and skin to ooze, and is usually really useful for youngsters affected by chickenpox.
However a so-called ‘magnificence hack’ on TikTok encourages viewers to use a layer of calamine lotion over massive sections of the face, and even all of it, earlier than utilizing basis and different make-up on prime.
It is geared toward folks with oily pores and skin and can, as one TikTok star claims, ‘create a barrier between their pores and skin and the muse they’re placing on, to maintain the oils from breaking apart the muse’. The face is left wanting ‘flawless’ and ‘pores are minimised’, others say.
On the platform, 1000’s of movies observe comparable themes. In a single clip that is had extra 7.3 million views, TikTok person @BrittanyBowman applies the lotion over her complete face with a make-up brush.
The caption reads: ‘I heard calamine lotion eliminates zits scars and darkish marks.’ In one other, with greater than 700,000 views, she applies her basis over the calamine layer and claims: ‘It’s going to dry out your present pimples however will not stop future zits.’
TikTok creator is seen making use of calamine lotion to her face earlier than including basis and different make-up
The hashtag #calamine has been used greater than 2.3 million occasions on TikTok alone, whereas the pattern has triggered a surge in demand – and a nationwide scarcity of the lotion, pharmacists have claimed.
Earlier this month Properly Pharmacies, which has greater than 750 outlets throughout the nation, issued an alert after their outlets ran out.
Properly Pharmacy chief pharmacist Ifti Khan stated: ‘A few of this is because of a current spike in chickenpox, however there’s additionally a pattern on social media advocating calamine lotion for beauty functions.
‘Calamine lotion treats a variety of pores and skin situation that trigger itchiness, together with chickenpox, insect bites, stings, measles and sunburn. However it ought to solely be utilized by those that want it, and for therapy of medical situations.’
Two suppliers, Thornton & Ross and Alliance Healthcare, have reportedly had no inventory for months.
Abell Chemist in London Street, Bushey, is a neighborhood pharmacy hit by the scarcity.
Its spokesman stated: ‘Calamine lotion is totally unavailable, and has been for a very long time. There’s little or no else we’ve got to supply for chickenpox.’
The Division for Well being and Social Care confirmed that it was conscious of ‘intermittent provide points’ and stated that extra provides are anticipated in early September.
Medical doctors concern the craze might set off lasting pores and skin harm. The lotion’s major energetic ingredient is zinc oxide, a gentle antiseptic which supplies the white color. It additionally accommodates phenol, a preservative with gentle anaesthetic properties banned to be used is cosmetics.
The lotion’s historical past is unclear – relationship again to a sixteenth Century German alchemist or to a Greek doctor within the 1st Century AD.
Advisor dermatologist Dr Alia Ahmed at Frimley and Barts Well being NHS Trusts defined that when used long-term, it might trigger harm to the pores and skin.
‘The lotion attracts moisture out of the pores and skin and can even act as a keratolytic, which means it could possibly exfoliate the pores and skin. That is useful when coping with moist, itchy pores and skin rashes, however leaving calamine lotion on for extended durations on areas just like the face, underneath or as make-up, can result in extreme pores and skin dryness, which can manifest as scaly or flaky patches with redness.
‘Over-exfoliation results in issues like rashes and sensitivity, and finally might trigger harm to the pores and skin barrier.’
The calamine lotion pattern follows different social-media-driven make-up recommendation to make use of laxative liquid milk of magnesia in the same means, as an affordable make-up base.
Girls’s journal Marie Claire endorsed the follow, claiming ‘it is actually nice for greasy pores and skin because it sops up extra grease, controls shine, and tightens pores’ – and stated that actuality star Kylie Jenner used it to remain shine-free ‘underneath scorching lights’.
Earlier this month Properly Pharmacies, which has greater than 750 outlets throughout the nation, issued an alert after their outlets ran out of Calamine lotion (inventory picture)
Milk of magnesia accommodates magnesium hydroxide – a chalky substance that absorbs moisture, therefore the beauty impact when used on the pores and skin – and in addition small quantities of sodium hypochlorite, generally often called bleach. Whereas innocent when ingested in small quantities as a medicine, used on the pores and skin it can also trigger harm and result in infections.
One YouTube magnificence star, Youkeyy, revealed that she used milk of magnesia on her face virtually day-after-day for 5 years, with disastrous outcomes.
‘I’ve at all times had oily pores and skin so when the entire milk of magnesia factor got here alongside I believed, that is what I want. Make-up will lastly keep in place,’ she stated.
However over time, her pores and skin turned ‘horribly’ dry and he or she began struggling zits. She stopped utilizing milk of magnesia, however the issues persist.
She says: ‘My pores and skin by no means was like this.’
Dr Ahmed says: ‘There appears to be a normal social-media pattern for attempting out issues as cosmetics that are not supposed for this use, whether or not it is milk of magnesia, calamine lotion, or in any other case.
‘This ought to be prevented. Injury may not be instant, however over time might change into fairly disagreeable. It would make you look good within the quick time period, however it’s simply not definitely worth the danger.’
