3 Treatments You Should Never Do At Home—And What to Do If the Damage Is Already Done

Although at-home dermatology treatments can be tempting in the current COVID environment, board-certified dermatologist, Dr. Zenovia, warns against the potential damage at home treatments can cause.  Treatments such as chemical peels, micro needling, and laser hair removal should be left to the professionals or breakouts, hyperpigmentation, or scars could result. Dr. Zenovia advises strong chemical peels to be done by board-certified dermatologists. Micro needling should be left completely to the professionals as trained technique is necessary for proper use. Further, laser hair removal can be especially problematic for those with dark skin, Dr. Zenovia warns, as the energy from the devices can target not only the hair pigment but also the pigment in the [person’s] own skin. If skin has been damaged already by at-home treatments, one should avoid the sun, a light moisturizer with SPF, and a healing ointment.