HOLLYWOOD’S NEWEST BEAUTY RITUAL
MANY CELEBRITIES SUCH AS CATE BLANCHETT AND SANDRA BULLOCK SWEAR BY THE ‘ PENIS’ FACIAL THAT MAKES THEM LOOK YOUNGER
Bizarre facials are nothing new. Treatments like vampire facial, placenta facial and caviar facial have all been an instant hit, proving that people will try anything in the name of beauty. The new bizarre facial that has been making news in Hollywood is ‘ penis facial’, which is a street name given to Hollywood EGF facial and costs $ 650. Actors like Cate Blanchett and Sandra Bullock have used it, by celebrity facialist Georgia Louise, to look younger. After the news about the treatment broke, Georgia said, “I have text threads, which would blow your mind, from celebs asking for the ‘ penis treatment’ all the time now.” WHAT IS PENIS FACIAL?
Dr Shuba Dharmana, dermatologist, explains, “It’s a very bizarre name that has been given to this facial presumably because it smells so during the process, or otherwise the name could also be possibly because the epidermal growth factor serum has been taken out from the foreskins of Korean babies.
Epidermal growth factor has been shown to increase cell regeneration, and a lot of antiageing creams and facials use the EGF serum.”
Describing the process, Shuba further adds, “The facialist that has devised this uses a number of techniques — she deep cleanses the face and uses a TCA peel, followed by microneedling and the epidermal growth factor serum. There are a lot of variables — it could be that the TCA peel has worked for them and combined with microneedling, known to induce collagen.”
However, Dr Shuba wouldn’t recommend the treatment without further studies. “There need to be more studies to prove the efficacy and safety of this component as there are studies that have shown that EGF can cause tumours, psoriasis and skin irritation. I would be comfortable if I had more studies to be recommending it,” says Dr Shuba. MARKETING GIMMICK?
“The name is the most attractive factor in the west. This facial is bizzare, out of the ordinary, and is a marketing gimmick. In India, even if the facial does come, I don’t think it is ever going to be known as the penis facial. I am not sure if people would flock to that,” she adds. A WORD OF CAUTION
“These treatments really need to be looked at for the medical science that they carry. It is important to look at the clinical studies behind them and also wait to completely understand the risks and benefits,” says Dr Shuba.