- 1 year ago
Think twice before trying the latest viral beauty and wellness hacks — some popular internet trends promise quick fixes but can cause serious harm. From kitchen-cabinet cooking experiments that risk poisoning to do-it-yourself cosmetic shortcuts that can scar, this video exposes the myths and dangers behind these viral remedies. We’ll break down how they work, the medical warnings you should know, and safer alternatives.
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00:00I felt like I could have died. Like, at that moment, I was, like, panicking.
00:04Welcome to Ms. Mojo. And today, we're counting down our picks for the most bizarre viral trends
00:09that claim to enhance beauty or health, when in reality, they do the exact opposite.
00:15From skincare to Botox to lip fillers, some people are trying to save money
00:20by doing their own cosmetic procedures at home.
00:24Number 10. NyQuil Chicken.
00:26You can thank 4chan for this not-so-bright idea.
00:30Originally created in 2017, NyQuil Chicken is exactly what it sounds like,
00:35a poultry dish cooked in cough medicine.
00:38Doctors say boiling the NyQuil changes its properties and makes it even more concentrated and dangerous.
00:46Breathing in the steam alone can damage your lungs and send someone to the hospital.
00:50In 2022, the recipe went viral on TikTok.
00:54The user claimed it was to help his sick wife.
00:57The Food and Drug Administration immediately warned against it, and it's clear to see why.
01:03The FDA says it could make somebody accidentally take a dangerously high dose of NyQuil without realizing it,
01:09because obviously when you boil something, it's going to make it more concentrated.
01:12It could also change the way it works.
01:14The cooking process itself comes with several risks,
01:17particularly lung damage from fume inhalation.
01:20Ingesting it is even more dangerous, as there's no way to properly portion the medicine.
01:26Every bite comes with the chance of an overdose, which can lead to seizures and even death.
01:31You could not only become extraordinarily drowsy,
01:34but acetaminophen taken in high doses can lead to liver failure and death.
01:39With the plethora of edible spices available,
01:42we'd recommend leaving this one in your medicine cabinet where it belongs.
01:45Number 9. Removing blackheads with glue
01:49Ah, it definitely feels like a stronger pull than the Burei strips.
01:57Dating back to the late 90s, people have used sticky strips as a way of removing blackheads.
02:03Mass-produced ones already come with slight risks, and strips made at home are worse.
02:09In 2014, model Victoria Brito claimed that glue was her secret to a perfect complexion.
02:15Since then, the trend has stuck. Literally.
02:19People rub the sticky substance in, let it dry, and then pull it off.
02:23It may appear to work, but comes with far more dangers than benefits.
02:28Oh, I'm like tearing.
02:31This one's painful.
02:32Better be working.
02:35Elmer's is non-toxic, but that doesn't make it inherently safe.
02:39Applying it could clog pores, cause allergic reactions, and heavily irritate sensitive skin.
02:45So while it's tempting to grab your craft supplies and go to town,
02:49it's better to stick with regulated products instead.
02:52Thin enough layer. It hurts a bit more, but it pulls out everything, and it feels really smooth.
02:59I'm not really sure if it's good for your skin, though.
03:01Number 8. At-home chemical peels
03:04I apply it to my entire face, and I also like to apply it to my neck as well.
03:08Doing anything from home for a reduced cost may seem like the smart choice.
03:13However, there are some activities that require professional help,
03:17and chemical peels are definitely one of them.
03:19Many of the do-it-yourself treatments tout anti-aging or acne reduction properties,
03:25and they contain several different acids to get the desired effects.
03:29Applying one without understanding its concentration or the length needed for treatment can cause burns.
03:35Immediately, it felt like my face had fire sitting on it.
03:41Fire. Like, go get the fire extinguisher. Fire.
03:44Like regular peels, they remove the top layers of flesh,
03:48and one wrong move can result in horrific consequences.
03:52Some people may experience changes in their skin coloration, or even disfigure themselves.
03:58It may be more expensive, but going to a licensed professional reduces the chances of disaster significantly.
04:05Number 7. Waist trainers
04:07Shapewear has been a fashion staple for centuries.
04:11Its popularity has increased in the past few years, particularly waist training.
04:16Wearing these pulls in the lowest ribs, creating the illusion of an hourglass figure.
04:21And the ribs that are in your back area, the ribs wrapped all the way around,
04:25it's pushing that stuff in, putting pressure on your diaphragm,
04:29which is how you breathe and how you create a healthy system.
04:33Some will wear them non-stop to maintain it, which is where the danger comes in.
04:38Doing so can damage your nerves and weaken important muscles in your core.
04:43They can also cause superficial damage like rashes.
04:45The highest risk, however, is to your organs.
04:49Not only can waist training redistribute them, it can also lessen blood flow,
04:54and therefore reduce their important functions.
04:57While we'd recommend skipping them altogether, if you do wear one,
05:01be sure to take it off after a few hours to be safe.
05:04How would you want to do that?
05:05You're literally lowering your cardio and making yourself more unhealthy.
05:08Makes no sense.
05:09Number 6. Using magic erasers to fix or remove self-tan
05:13It makes sense that people would want to have an evenly applied self-tan
05:17and to correct any mistakes they made.
05:20Using household cleaning products to achieve that, however, doesn't make sense.
05:24Just melting it right away.
05:27I ain't even having to scrub hard or nothing.
05:29And it don't hurt.
05:30It don't hurt me.
05:31I'm not even bleeding.
05:33In the late 2010s, people began using magic erasers to scrub off any lingering product.
05:39Two disastrous results.
05:41The sponges are made with melamine foam, an abrasive substance that's amazing for kitchens and bathrooms,
05:47not human flesh.
05:49Over a million people have seen that video of my tanologist fail,
05:52and some of the comments were to try Windex and magic erasers.
05:55Unfortunately, I accidentally did this again, so I'm going to try them both.
05:59Using it to scrub anything off your body will result in that tan being removed,
06:03along with some of the skin it was previously on.
06:06Some who have attempted this have reported giving themselves awful chemical burns and rashes.
06:12The likely pain you'd experience drastically outweighs any convenience the hack offers.
06:17I just wish things would get better.
06:20I'm trying to get rid of them.
06:22But nothing seems to stay the same.
06:24Number 5.
06:25Treating skin cancer with black salve.
06:28Despite the availability of modern medicine,
06:31some choose alternative treatments for their health issues.
06:33When it comes to something as serious as cancer,
06:36that choice can quickly become harmful.
06:39When you're using something like black salve,
06:41you may be getting this part of the skin cancer off,
06:44but you're actually not removing any of that.
06:46Black salve has been purported as a cure,
06:49and people perpetuating that false claim in the media has made it stick.
06:53The caustic product destroys skin cells,
06:56whether they're healthy or not.
06:58And because it can often be very corrosive,
07:00leading to irritation and scarring that may not be reversible,
07:03the American Academy of Dermatology has issued this warning,
07:07strongly recommending patients not use black salve for any skin condition,
07:12especially cancer.
07:14Using it can also lead to tissue necrosis and disfiguration
07:17that can only be fixed with plastic surgery.
07:20There's also a high chance it misses the cancerous cells entirely,
07:24meaning one could permanently mar themselves for nothing.
07:28It goes without saying,
07:30but you should consult with a doctor before beginning any treatment,
07:33especially one so unsafe.
07:35When you have skin cancer,
07:37you want to make sure that it's removed in an appropriate fashion,
07:41and that there's a biopsy proving that all the malignant cells are removed.
07:46Number four, DIY mole and skin tag removal.
07:49The desire to eradicate skin growths has resulted in people turning to desperate measures.
07:55The internet has made it easy to learn hacks or buy products to take off skin tags and moles,
08:01regardless of their safety.
08:03Oh man.
08:04Okay, I'm doing it.
08:06I feel that.
08:08That's not numb.
08:09It doesn't hurt very badly though.
08:11Mole removal pens burn the offending mark off,
08:14which can cause scarring.
08:15Household items like rubber bands, string or nail clippers are even riskier,
08:20and can cause infections or severe bleeding.
08:23Taking the DIY route leaves the root cause of the mark a mystery,
08:27with no way of knowing if it's cancerous or not.
08:30Like, this one that I was working on up here,
08:32it's like, gonna be a scab.
08:36So, I don't know how well you can see.
08:38If it is, not only could it come back,
08:40it will be even harder to treat.
08:42Those with concerns should seek medical attention before taking things into their own hands.
08:48I don't know what to do.
08:49Help me.
08:50Send me scissors or, I don't know.
08:52Somebody tell me if this happened to you.
08:54Number three, dry scooping pre-workout.
08:58In theory, powdered supplements can be helpful before hitting the gym.
09:02When added to a drink, they can help boost energy and promote muscle growth.
09:06This trend aims to make it as dangerous as possible.
09:09So, they're getting a large portion of caffeine in one setting.
09:13When you do that, it increases the blood pressure substantially.
09:17Dry scooping challenges people to throw back a serving of their pre-workout without a drink.
09:22Influencers and regular gym goers alike have been filming themselves participating in this
09:27and claim that it hits even harder.
09:29Experts warn when taken dry, it can give you a more potent and dangerous energy boost.
09:36Many end up inhaling it and choking, and that's just where the risk begins.
09:41Pre-workout is loaded with caffeine, and taking too much at once can cause myocardial palpitations.
09:48In 2021, a woman even had a heart attack after attempting it.
09:52In the locker room, I started feeling like the chest pain, and that's like when I freaked out.
09:56I was like, this is not normal.
09:58Taking it the correct way will help boost your workout and prevent a near-death experience.
10:03Number 2. Melanotin-2 Nasal Sprays
10:07Tanning already comes with plenty of risks, and this makes it even worse.
10:12My face was bright red, itchy.
10:16It was just terrific, but silly me.
10:17Tried it again the next day, and it was even worse.
10:19I thought I was going to throw up on the way to work.
10:21It was awful.
10:22Nasal sprays containing Melanotin-2 boast a glow from the inside out.
10:27Inhaling it causes hormones in the body to duplicate, resulting in a temporarily darker complexion.
10:33It also comes with a host of negative side effects, from minor ailments like nausea and
10:38diarrhea, to more serious diseases like rhabdomyolysis.
10:43This is the scary part.
10:44Four reported cases of melanoma.
10:48Melanoma is the deadliest type of skin cancer.
10:51It isn't approved by the FDA, or even legal in the U.S., so you might not know what you're
10:56snorting until it's too late.
10:58Plus, inhaling it nasally gives it a one-way ticket to your bloodstream, meaning whatever
11:03chemicals are inside it will be distributed throughout your body.
11:06Those who want some color should go about it the safe way.
11:09It's embarrassing.
11:10It's on my face, and it's something that's happened from two squirts of nasal tan.
11:16I didn't realize how dangerous it was.
11:17Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel, and ring the bell to get notified
11:22about our latest videos.
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11:33Number 1.
11:34Self-Injecting Fillers and Botox
11:37Considering both procedures involve needles being inserted into the face, it's hard to
11:42believe they're done anywhere but a doctor's office.
11:44Yet people all over are buying knockoff versions of Botox and filler that they inject themselves.
11:51Everything from the application to the products themselves proves that it's a bad idea.
11:56Most people aren't estheticians, and therefore have a limited idea of what they're supposed
12:01to be injecting.
12:02That alone runs the risk of facial asymmetry and drooping eyelids.
12:06So that you can cause nerve weakness, nerve paralysis, you can inject the vessel and you
12:11can kill the skin.
12:14Those are the really bad ones.
12:15The damage goes much deeper than the exterior, as paralysis or circulation blockage could occur.
12:22The scariest part is that the ingredients in unregulated Botox and dermal fillers may be
12:27unknown or incorrect, meaning you have no way of knowing what you're putting into your body.
12:32It has really started this very dangerous trend of people purchasing these products illegally
12:38and not knowing anything about them, whether they're contaminated, what they're made up
12:43of.
12:43What's the craziest beauty or wellness trend you've seen online?
12:47Let us know in the comments.
12:49And the other problem with these nasal tanners is that people then tell you, go out into the
12:52sun, get more sun exposure, and it stimulated the melasma.
12:55Let us know in the comments.