{"id":423354,"date":"2026-05-12T05:04:10","date_gmt":"2026-05-12T05:04:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/423354\/"},"modified":"2026-05-12T05:04:10","modified_gmt":"2026-05-12T05:04:10","slug":"doctors-major-warning-to-aussies-about-viral-skin-trend-inflamed-for-days","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/423354\/","title":{"rendered":"Doctor’s major warning to Aussies about viral skin trend: ‘Inflamed for days’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Women are spraying dry shampoo directly onto their faces<\/a> in a bid to get a \u201ccloser shave\u201d<\/a> \u2014 but a skin doctor has warned the viral TikTok trend could do more harm than good.<\/p>\n

Hundreds of young women have been coating their faces<\/a> in white spray to make tiny facial hairs easier to see before shaving, with videos of the unusual beauty hack racking up millions of views online.<\/p>\n

But Dr Tanya Unni, a GP with a special interest in skin health, told Yahoo Lifestyle the consequences of using a product never designed for facial skin could \u201cgo beyond a bad shave\u201d.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/p>\n

What is the trend?<\/p>\n

Elle Moonz, who has more than 750,000 TikTok followers, is one of the many women to undertake this venture.<\/p>\n

She’s not the only one; social media is filled with women experimenting with the trend.<\/p>\n

“I’m slightly concerned for myself,” she said after spraying her face, saying many of her followers had begged her to try the hack.<\/p>\n

She had to spray her face several times in order to get it thick enough to see the hairs on her face.<\/p>\n

However, after completing it, she said she felt as though her skin was “so freaking smooth”.<\/p>\n

“It amazes me every time,” she said.<\/p>\n

Skin doctor weighs in on TikTok hack<\/p>\n

Dr Tanya said as a GP who works closely with skin every day, dry shampoo was never formulated with facial skin in mind.<\/p>\n

“The skin on your face is not the same as your scalp. Facial skin is significantly thinner, more vascular, and far more reactive,” the founder of Dr Tanya said.<\/p>\n

“The alcohol content in most dry shampoos will immediately compromise your skin barrier,\u00a0 stripping the natural lipid layer that keeps moisture in and irritants out.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor anyone with rosacea, eczema, acne-prone, or sensitive skin, this is a genuine trigger, not just an inconvenience.”<\/p>\n

She also added that powder residue is a “real problem”.<\/p>\n

“Starches and silica \u2014 the main absorbent agents in dry shampoo \u2014 sitting on skin while a blade passes over them creates micro-abrasion,” she said.<\/p>\n

“You\u2019re essentially dragging particulate matter across your face.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a recipe for post-shave inflammation, folliculitis, and in some cases, contact dermatitis.”<\/p>\n

Dr. Tanya added that the shave itself “won’t even be good”.<\/p>\n

She said that clinically proper hydration of the hair shaft, which can be achieved with warm water and an emollient base, is what allows a blade to cut the hair cleanly.<\/p>\n

She said that dry shampoo does the opposite.<\/p>\n

“You\u2019ll drag, you\u2019ll nick, and you\u2019ll be dealing with irritated, inflamed skin for days,” she said.<\/p>\n

“My advice? Warm water, a gentle shaving cream with no fragrance, and a clean, sharp blade. Simple. Evidence-based. Kind to your skin barrier.<\/p>\n

“Your face is worth more than a TikTok hack.”<\/p>\n

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