TikTok He has viral tricks for everything. Some work, others do nothing, neither good nor bad, and still others can have very undesirable consequences. The latter, when they are related to health, are indeed dangerous. There are many examples, but one of the latest is acne remedy consisting of sunbathing without protection or using typical solariums with ultraviolet radiation.
As is often the case with viral TikTok tricks, there is some science behind this trick. However, it is not strong enough. As the popular saying goes, those who came up with the trick heard bells ringing, but they themselves did not know where.
And it’s true that there are some skin diseases for which ultraviolet radiation is beneficial. However, it must be used in a controlled manner in healthcare settings. There is also some research into the effects of the sun on acne treatment. However, their design leaves much to be desired and they are not at all convincing. Therefore, this viral trick cannot be considered a good remedy for acne. There are other, much better options that do not increase the risk of skin cancer. Because yes, we should all know by now that tanning without protection greatly increases this risk.
The Science Behind This Viral TikTok Trick
Some skin diseases such as psoriasis or eczema have shown that they respond very well to phototherapy. It consists of applying controlled doses of ultraviolet radiation to the lesions, since it has excellent anti-inflammatory power. It is important to control the dose, since when cells are damaged, the effect is completely opposite. An inflammatory effect occurs, which significantly aggravates the symptoms of these and other diseases.
Regarding acne, a long-term study of almost 20,000 people was conducted in 2023, which found a definite link with sun exposure and reduction of symptoms. However, this had many restrictions. One of the biggest was the inability to measure ultraviolet radiation levels. It simply took into account the geographic location of participants over time and analyzed weather data for those regions. This is by no means a definitive conclusion. Nor is a study that found that UV light can help eliminate one of the main acne-causing bacteria: Propionibacterium acne.
The latter was carried out with cell cultures. That is, skin cells from people with acne were grown in the laboratory and exposed to radiation without seeing any immediate effect in people. Of course, the radiation killed the bacteria. Pouring them with pure hydrochloric acid would also do the same thing, but we don’t want that in our faces.
Very dangerous acne remedy
Even if it were true that UV light is a good acne treatment, the viral TIkTok stunt still wouldn’t be a good idea. And one thing control dose of radiation which the skin is exposed to, as well as the use of tanning beds or exposure to the sun without protection.
In the latter case, the DNA of skin cells will be damaged by this ionizing radiation. Thanks to production melaninwhich acts as a shield, and cell repair mechanismsthe harmful effects can be contained for some time. However, there comes a point when neither of the two treatments is sufficient, causing DNA damage that can eventually develop into skin cancer.
It’s not worth the risk. The benefits will never outweigh the risks of this acne remedy. But there seems to be no benefit. According to a review of all studies on this topic conducted between 1992 and 2022, in 2023 very unlikely There really is a positive effect of sunbathing in the fight against this skin disease.
Therefore, as you well remember in Talk King’s College Scholars Carl Lawrence and Wisam AlwanThis viral TikTok trick is extremely dangerous. If you have problems with acne, consult a dermatologist. Virality doesn’t have to be true. In fact, in most cases this is not the case.
Source: Hiper Textual
