7 Beauty Treatments You May Regret Getting Years Later

Microblading

Microblading is a semi-permanent brow tattoo, and it’s been popular for a good decade. Now we’re starting to see what this treatment looks like years later, and it’s not always great. 

“Only do this with someone whose work you have seen in real life. Ask your friends where they had theirs done, because before and afters online are usually taken like two months after the appointment which is not a good long-term reflection of the work,” says Danielle Gronich, esthetician and co-founder and CEO of CLEARSTEM Skincare.

Poor work can result in blurring, fading, and uneven color. Also, like traditional tattoos, microblading can turn bluish-gray versus staying brown. Whether the work is good or subpar, you’ll also need to do routine maintenance.

Chemical Hair Straightening

Permanent hair straightening treatments are a form of chemical processing for your hair. It can straighten naturally curly or textured hair for several months or more, but as with most seemingly miraculous solutions, it’s not without its downsides and risks. There’s quite a lot of evidence to suggest that permanent hair straightening can cause serious hair damage. Some potential risks include dry hair that leads to breakage and possible hair loss. That being said, there’s always risk involved in chemical treatments of any kind and caution must be used to protect the integrity of the hair.

Permanent Threads or Sutures

Permanent threads sound great, but they can easily turn into a “permanent problem,” warns Anil Shah, MD, a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon and founder of Shah Facial Plastics in Chicago and Noses & Necks in New York City.

“Whether it’s a facelift or rhinoplasty or just a thread lift, one thing is for certain: If you have a permanent suture at some point, it may pop up many years later, causing a problem,” Dr. Shah says. “There’s really no advantage to putting a permanent suture in. And if you have any sort of infection—which is very likely for almost all of us—these stitches can work their way out in the form of abscesses and other issues.”

Chin Lipo

True to its name, chin lipo involves removing fat from the chin area, usually with energy-based devices. The thing is, not many people are good candidates for chin lipo. 

“It only works in a rare few cases, and often getting rid of the fat between the skin and the muscle is not going to improve the look of your neck,” says Daniel Gould, MD, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills, Calif. In addition to removing softness and potentially aging you, he adds that these devices can also “create scar tissue between the skin and the muscle below, which can result in visible bands and nodules.”

Exfoliating Too Frequently

It’s true what they say about having “too much of a good thing.” That’s definitely the case with exfoliation, which is an essential part of a good skincare routine. Too much—whether with physical scrubs, chemical exfoliants, or at-home devices—can put your skin barrier at risk and lead to long-term damage.  

This includes increased sensitivity, redness, breakouts, inability to retain moisture, increased exposure to harmful bacteria, and chronic inflammation. It can even potentially accelerate aging rather than preventing it. Stick to a balanced routine with gentle exfoliation no more than two to three times a week, and make sure to pair your regimen with ultra-hydrating formulas and  barrier-repairing ingredients like ceramides and niacinamide.

Overdoing it With Filler

There’s a fine line when it comes to facial filler, and it’s easily blurred by the lure of instant gratification and the slow, subtle shift in how you see yourself. While filler is an excellent beauty tool, it’s important to use it wisely and to see a provider who with a deft hand, Dr. Shah says.

He adds that you should especially avoid filler in areas where you may get plastic surgery in the future. For example, “Don’t do a non-surgical rhinoplasty before a surgical rhinoplasty; you can make it much more difficult for your surgeon to see the tissue planes,” he explains. Also, he adds that “Under eye filler in the wrong hands can be a disaster. For some patients, they may go through an endless cycle of dissolving and adding filler.”

Plasma Pen Treatments

Plasma treatment pens are essentially a small, pen-shaped medical device that creates  tiny little burns in the skin—usually used around the eyes to simulate a blepharoplasty or eyelid lift.

“It’s literally a burn or a lot of tiny little burns around the eye,” Dr. Gould says. “This can create scar tissue, which is very visible, and it can create hyper or hypo pigmentation. The color of the skin changes and the eye skin [may never] fully recover, and ultimately the patient still winds up needing an eyelid lift. This is definitely a no-go.”