The viral Tiktok hack that could be making your wrinkles worse – and what you should be using instead

IF you have scrolled through Titkok recently, you’ll probably have come across endless skincare hacks that claim to take decades off your face.

Though you might be tempted by some of these DIY treatments, one dermatologist has warned that one viral hack could actually be making your fine lines worse.

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For those who don’t already follow Shereene Idriss, be ready to meet your new favourite skin expert.

A board-certified dermatologist from New York, the medic regularly goes viral on the app – whether she is recommending beauty treatment or debunking some skincare myths.

It’s not hard to understand why, as the expert has near-flawless skin – despite being in her early forties and a busy mum with her own clinic.

Whilst she is no stranger to DIY beauty treatments, the skincare specialist has warned her 732,000 followers about the dangers of one viral beauty trend.

Despite beauty gurus advising that you use haemorrhoid creams to banish under-eye bags, the doctor made a Tiktok debunking the dangerous myth.

“We love a hack but not all butt products are created equal,” she teased, as she explained why she uses a nappy rash cream instead.

Urging her fans not to use haemorrhoid creams around their eyes, she revealed that these medicated products often contain two ingredients, phenylephrine and steroids.

“Phenyl ephrin plus the steroid around the eye are not only going to increase your risk of glaucoma,” she pointedly said, arguing: “…the steroid is actually gonna thin your skin in the long run, worsening the look of your wrinkle and redness around your eyes.

“So you are going to look shrivelled, high and probably can’t even see well because you have glaucoma,” she added.

Instead, Dr Shereene suggested using a nappy rash cream, like Sudocream or Triple Paste, to help slow the ageing process.

Continuing, she told her fans: “Diaper rash cream does quite the opposite, it is just soothing and calming because it has zinc oxide...but again not all diaper rash creams are created equal.”

She then revealed how some nappy creams have steroids, such as cortisone, which you should also avoid putting on your face.

For anyone who did go out and buy haemorrhoid cream hoping to banish their dark circles, don’t despair as the skin expert had some sage advice.

Rather than binning it, she shared that you can actually use the topical cream for treating spots – especially if you need them to disappear in a hurry.

“The only exception to the rule is if you have a massive juicy zit on your face, probably on the tip of your nose or your check, and you are getting married in the morning…” she laughed.

If you are still looking for a way to stop fine lines and dark circles around your eyes, the medic advises trying to use treatment with ingredients that target those specific issues.

For instance, you should have vitamin C, niacinamide and ginseng extract in your eye cream if you want to banish bags and darkness.

Alternatively, you can use retinol based-products to treat fine lines – just remember to avoid getting it in your eye.

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