Beauty trends come and go, and a lot of times we don’t even remember which fruit or vegetable was chosen as the star of a skin care or hair care product. Among weird beauty trends, period blood face mask or moon masking definitely tops the list. The #periodfacemask hashtag has been trending online for a while now. As the name suggests, it is a face mask made from your own period blood! Many young women are creating the DIY face mask, taking photographs and putting them up on social media. While some are bold or experimental enough to try out this weird beauty trend, others are curious to know about period face masks. Read on to find out if period face masks actually work or not.

There has been an increase in life expectancy, so middle-aged and elderly people comprise a substantial percentage of the population worldwide, according to ResearchGate.

Skin rejuvenation methods have become very popular as ageing often manifests itself in the human skin. A lot of people who don’t rely on home made or DIY face packs, they go for fillers or laser therapy to look young. But there are some who look for easier and less expensive beauty treatments to keep their skin glowing and healthy. In search for such treatments, women experiment with things that are easily available in their kitchen cabinet or garden.

Well, in the case of this new beauty trend, it is found inside your body! All you have to do is collect your period blood and keep it in a container. Then smear it all over your face. You might think it’s unhygienic, but the women who apply period blood on their face do it in the hopes of getting glowing skin. But there are risks that can pop up from trying out this weird beauty trend.

Health Shots connected with Dr Sonal Bansal, Consultant – Dermatology, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram, to find out if there’s more than hygiene that women should be concerned about while trying out a period face mask.

Period face masks can be dangerous

When something new comes out, especially in the beauty industry, many want to try it out. But it’s not always wise to follow beauty trends blindly as they can be dangerous.

According to Dr Bansal, it’s not safe to use period blood as a face mask. In fact, she warns that it can even prove to be dangerous as it can lead to skin infections, especially if you already have a vaginal or cervical infection. So, if you put that blood on your face, it can give rise to skin infections as well.

Beauty treatment using blood

Remember the time when reality TV star Kim Kardashian posed for her Instagram followers after getting the vampire facial? Well, that beauty treatment happens to use human blood. Bansal said that the beauty treatment which uses human blood is called Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) or vampire facial wherein blood is taken from the vein then processed in such a manner that it “can give a beautiful effect to your skin.” It is chosen by women who are looking for anti-ageing and anti-pigmentation treatments.

As per American Academy of Dermatology Association, PRP can possibly reduce wrinkles, plump up sagging skin, get rid of deep creases, improve your complexion and even diminish acne scars.

Vampire facial and period face pack won’t give same results

You might assume that since both the therapies use human blood, the effects on your skin should be the same. But the expert warned that the menstrual blood that is now being promoted as a beauty treatment “cannot be used in the same manner.” She said that applying blood on skin is not going to go deep inside, and it is not equivalent to any injection therapy.

Clearly, this weird beauty trend is all talk and no action. Best is to skip this and look for alternative ways to achieve clear and glowing skin! Most of all, eat healthy, exercise, stay hydrated and sleep well!