If you’ve been browsing through beauty trends on social media, it can be easy to believe that looks are more important than ever in today’s society. The truth is that people throughout history have been obsessed with appearance and have used strange and sometimes harmful methods to achieve beauty.
These practices included everything from using poisonous substances to obtain a flawless complexion to swallowing tapeworms for weight loss.
So while it may seem that today’s skincare and beauty trends lean toward the extreme, it’s important to acknowledge that these things don’t come out of nowhere. To illustrate, let’s take a trip through skincare’s haunting history.
Arsenic Wafers
While not your typical afternoon snack, arsenic wafers became incredibly popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Advertised as a “safe and harmless” beauty product to improve the complexion, arsenic wafers were marketed to women as a means of supposedly removing freckles, pimples, and other skin blemishes. It was typical for women to nibble on the wafers or even wash their faces with them, hoping to achieve what was considered an ideal complexion.
Arsenic is a naturally occurring metalloid found in the Earth’s crust. In its inorganic form, arsenic is highly toxic. Unbeknownst to women at the time, their ingestion and exposure to arsenic were slowly killing them. Symptoms of arsenic poisoning include nausea, vomiting, and irregular heartbeat. Ironically, it can also cause hyperpigmentation on the skin, as well as lesions on the hands and feet. Ultimately, prolonged arsenic poisoning can result in cancer, cardiovascular disease, cognitive dysfunction, and death.
Blood Facials
It may surprise you to learn that blood facials are nothing new. Today, a “vampire” facial (also known as a PRP facial) is a cosmetic procedure that uses platelet-rich plasma (PRP) derived from a patient’s own blood to rejuvenate the skin.
While the jury is still out on whether or not blood facials are effective, the practice of using blood for complexion care is a long-established one. In some cultures, when a girl got her first menstrual period, she was encouraged by her elders to apply the blood to her face in order to ensure a clear complexion. Yikes.
Unfortunately, history has a way of repeating itself. Despite how cringeworthy it sounds, there has been a resurgence of women using menstrual blood as a remedy for common skin issues. Proponents of this practice argue that menstrual blood is a novel source of stem cells and is rich in nutrients like copper, zinc, and magnesium. They believe that menstrual blood can help regenerate damaged tissue and fight acne.
With that being said, applying menstrual blood to the face to treat skin issues is not scientifically supported and can be dangerous. Period blood is not a sterile substance, as it contains bacteria, dead skin cells, mucus, and other materials that can be harmful to the skin. Dermatologists strongly advise against it, as it can lead to skin irritation, infections, or pH imbalances. Menstrual blood is not a skincare product and is not formulated to be used on the face.
Crocodile Dung
What’s more luxurious than menstrual blood on your face? Crocodile dung, of course! Nothing lets people know you’re living the high life better than a face that’s covered in poo.
In Ancient Greece and Rome, crocodile dung was believed to have beautifying and restorative properties. Used for facials and in baths, crocodile dung was thought to whiten and brighten aging skin. Typically mixed with mud, crocodile dung was seen as a less toxic alternative to other whitening agents like lead-based powders. Like many points in history, pale skin was the desired aesthetic, and crocodile dung was one of the ingredients used to achieve this look.
As shocking as a crocodile dung facial may sound, poo facials are still technically in use, with some Japanese facials employing powdered bird droppings for skin softening and brightening purposes.
Sweat Facials
In Ancient Rome, women from the upper classes would buy vials of sweat scraped from the skin of famous gladiators to use as a facial cream. Gladiators, often seen as symbols of strength and virility, were highly valued in Roman society. Their sweat, blood, and other bodily substances were believed to have unique properties, including healing or rejuvenating effects. Not only was gladiator sweat thought to improve the complexion, but it was also considered an effective aphrodisiac. Sexy!
And because people often don’t learn from their mistakes, it’s no surprise that sweat facials are still popular. Today’s sweat facials involve being wrapped up and placed under far-infrared lights (also known as FIR light therapy). The lights raise the core body temperature to encourage sweating, which is believed to improve the tone, texture, and appearance of the skin.
Radiation
When Austrian doctor Leopold Freund and his colleagues discovered in the 1920s that X-rays caused hair loss, the desire for unwanted hair removal surged. X-rays were quickly promoted in the cosmetic industry as the latest technique for removing unwanted body hair. Unaware of the dangers, many women suffered burns from the treatment, often due to the technicians’ inexperience and lack of training. To make matters worse, prolonged or excessive exposure to X-rays could ultimately cause lasting skin damage and, even worse, cancer.
In addition, X-rays were used to treat various skin conditions. X-rays were initially believed to have therapeutic effects on acne, eczema, and psoriasis. The treatment involved exposing the affected area to low doses of X-rays for several minutes, several times a week. The rationale behind this treatment was that the X-rays would kill the bacteria causing the skin condition, reduce inflammation, and stimulate the growth of new skin cells.
Similarly, cosmetics and hygiene products containing radium, a radioactive element, gained popularity in the early 20th century. Companies such as Tho-Radia and Radior marketed creams, powders, and even toothpaste that contained radium, asserting its ability to stimulate circulation, diminish wrinkles, and enhance overall skin health. However, these claims lacked a scientific basis and were largely driven by the public’s fascination with the newly discovered element.
Unfortunately, radium-infused cosmetics didn’t quite produce the healthy glow that was expected of them. At the time, the dangers of radioactivity were not fully understood. Exposure to radium can lead to serious health issues, including anemia, bone cancer, and even death.
Final Thoughts
Throughout history, society has consistently driven us to seek the secrets to everlasting beauty. This pursuit often comes at a high cost, serving as a reminder that what’s trending may not always be best.