I’m not ashamed to admit that I have learned a few beauty tricks from TikTok. But the latest one that caught my attention really did seem a bit too sketchy. It showed a young woman taping her forehead wrinkles every night for a week. By day seven, she explained that the muscles on her forehead felt as if they were paralyzed and that her wrinkles were a lot smoother than before. But is there any truth to it? Can face taping really take the place of Botox?

What is face taping?

Face taping is a method that uses carefully placed sticky tape on specific facial areas. Allegedly, it should combat and avoid fine lines and wrinkles. The tape should ideally restrict muscles’ action while being worn overnight to stop you from frowning or making other line-producing expressions while you sleep.

This method is also supposed to reduce and avoid wrinkles brought on by side and stomach sleeping. However, this is not a new practice. One of Hollywood’s oldest secrets, Frownies, the most well-known brand of face tape, first appeared on the market in 1889. Many celebrities swear by it even to this day.

Is face taping safe?

Although a small amount of Scotch tape is unlikely to produce permanent scars, face taping may end up being more detrimental than beneficial. In order to keep the tape in place, the glue used on the tape will stick to your skin. When you remove the tape the next morning, the skin barrier can be harmed. Regular tape wasn’t designed to be gentle on the skin, and it can lead to inflammation, irritation, and acne flare-ups. Therefore, buying tape at Home Depot won’t get you very far.

Is face taping effective?

To keep things short, no, it is not. If you want to get rid of your wrinkles, it’s better to visit a dermatologist than your FYP on TikTok. In theory, face taping could work. But you would have to wear the tape for much longer than a few hours at night to see the real benefits of it. And having a layer of plastic sticking to your skin for such long periods of time can only cause acne and skin irritations.

There is also a good reason why decades and billions of dollars have been invested in the development of wrinkle-reducing cosmetic innovations, including fillers, neurotoxins, and lasers. It’s just not as simple as taping your wrinkles until they smooth out.

What alternatives do you have to face-taping?

Skincare, sun protection, and injectables are the best ways to reverse aging. In addition to that, you can also try laser treatments and chemical peels. According to dermatologists, the gold standard when it comes to smoothing out wrinkles is tretinoin. This is a vitamin A derivative that boosts the collagen production of our skin significantly, making the skin appear more youthful and elastic. Of course, if you want to reduce the dynamic lines on your forehead or around your eyes, your best option would be Botox or Dysport.

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