In a viral Instagram post, an influencer claimed that smearing her poop all over her face helped her skin, but an expert recommends against it.
Social media influencer Debora Peixoto is taking experimental skincare to a whole new level — one that’s not for the faint of heart.
In a viral post, the content creator can be seen giving herself a “poo facial.” Yup, you heard that right — she spread poop all over her face and shared it on the internet.
Using a clothespin to pinch her nose shut and protect herself from the smell, Peixoto sat with her face covered in feces for 10 whole minutes before washing it off.
“The craziest thing I've done in my life, smear my feces on my face,” she wrote in the caption in Portuguese. “I saw some research about this and decided to try! It worked for me, my skin stopped flaking!”
But despite Peixoto’s claims that the stool benefited her skin, Hannah Kopelman, MD, a dermatologist at Kopelman Aesthetic Surgery highly advises not to give this trend a try.
“As a dermatologist, I have to stress that applying feces to your face is not only ineffective but also highly dangerous,” Kopelman says. “The idea that it could reduce flakiness or improve complexion has no scientific basis, and it’s incredibly risky.”
Feces contain bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can lead to serious skin infections and other health issues, Kopelman explains. In other words, no matter how curious you may be, Kopelman does not recommend following in Peixoto’s footsteps.
This video, which has been viewed more than 400,000 times, highlights the need to approach skincare claims on social media with caution, Kopelman notes.
“Not everything that goes viral is safe or beneficial for your skin,” she says. "I always recommend sticking to products that are scientifically tested and dermatologist-approved. Your skin’s health is far too important to trust unverified and potentially harmful trends.”
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