Celebrities inspire many looks and trends, especially among women. The advances of social media have made it easy for trends to quickly spread around the globe with a simple hashtag. Within hours or days, people can be wearing the same thing or perform the same challenge. Some of these trends are harmless and may even be helpful, such as the Ice Bucket Challenge for ALS awareness. However, sometimes these challenges can become dangerous and even lead to physical harm that could be permanent. The latest new risky viral beauty trend has the potential to end up disfiguring those who perform it.
#KylieJennerChallenge
After Kylie Jenner posted a photo with plumped lips, a viral competition was soon born to try to get similarly plush lips. Teenaged girls and guys have used glass bottles to plump up their lips to look like Kylie Jenner.
The challenge started as an inexpensive way to plump up the lips.
Although this trend may have started as a way to actually get larger lips, many of these teens take part in the challenge as a joke with their friends, according to Inquisitr.com. Many of these posts include before and after photos that demonstrate the bruising and swollen lips that occur after the process, which should deter others from trying it. Instead, it has inspired even more to join the challenge with potentially dangerous complications.
How Did it Start?
The challenge began after teenaged girls tried different ways to achieve plumper lips like Jenner. As with many Internet trends, it is difficult to trace it back to the source. However, Business Insider credits YouTube user Brendan Jordan with helping it to become viral. The viral appeal came not from the successes; instead, it was the horrible reactions made it an infamous social trend.
The challenge left many with ridiculously large lips.
Many who tried it came away with lips three times as large with cracks, bleeding, and bruises that lasted for an extended period of time, most likely much longer than the person would have liked.
Why is it Dangerous?
When you use a glass bottle or shot glass to create suction on your lips, you risk the health of your lips without any real chance of achieving the plumper lips you may want. The reason the lips plump up is that they are actually hurt by the action, which kicks in the body’s natural immune response that includes inflammation and swelling. Speaking to Seventeen Magazine, Dr. Dendy Englemann, a board certified dermatologic surgeon, said that this action can create pain, swelling, and bruising, and it has a significant risk of permanent scarring that could lead to disfigurement, especially when done more than once.
How Can You Get Fuller-Looking Lips?
If you do want to get fuller-looking lips, you have an opportunity to do it without the potential to permanently damage your lips. You do not need to use a suction cup or get plastic surgery to enhance your pout. According to Marie Claire, simply brushing your lips with your toothbrush can help them look larger.
You can achieve larger lips with the right makeup techniques.
Lining your lips, using lip-gloss, and avoiding dark hues also help you to achieve more lush lips. To create the effect of a larger pout, use a darker shade in the middle of your lips and use a shade lighter hue to line the outer ridges, or line just beyond your outer ridge.
There are plenty of ways to get fuller-looking lips or look like your favorite celebrity without risking permanent damage to your lips, skin, or body. There is never a reason to risk hurting yourself, especially to become part of an Internet joke. There are better ways to try to get your 15 seconds of viral fame.