Young women are being scarred by botched DIY freckles after injecting henna or black ink across their cheeks in TikTok beauty trend

Amusing.  Freckles are a fairly reliable indicator of some Celtic ancestry.  I have them.  Women used to be embarrassed to have them on their face — as they detracted from a smooth image.  And it is very hard to imitate the natural thing if a foolish attempt is made to do so.

This is a fairly extreme example of facial freckles.  Most are lighter than that. They are most prominent during childhood and tend to fade with age.  They are often associated with red hair.  My father was a redhead

Experts have raised safety concerns about a TikTok beauty trend that has seen young women disfigured after creating DIY tattoo freckles.

Videos posted on the social-media platform show people using needles to inject dots of henna or black ink across their nose and cheeks, which is believed to have been inspired by the Duchess of Sussex’s natural freckles.

But clinics have reported an increase in the number of women needing expensive tattoo removal treatment after botched jobs that trigger allergic reactions and run the risk of permanent scarring.

Laura Kay, a London-based permanent make-up artist who specialises in applying eyebrows, eyeliner and lipstick, said: ‘I wouldn’t advise that you get tattoo freckles done. People who do tattoos at home without a licence are known as scratchers, and that’s not legal.

‘Tattoo artists must have a licence, and DIY tattoos pose a real risk of HIV or hepatitis.’

Bottles of black ink, advertised as ‘DIY Tattoo Fake Freckles’ sell for as little as £5.70 online, while plant-derived henna can irritate the skin.

Australian reality TV star Tilly Whitfield went viral last year after her DIY attempt at fake freckles, using lead-based ink copied from TikTok, left her with permanent scarring and temporary loss of vision in one eye. And one young British TikToker who attempted henna freckles said it took hours to rub the black stain off her face.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10655617/Women-scarred-botched-DIY-freckles-TikTok-beauty-trend.html

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