With a struggling economy many people are daring to do cosmetic procedures themselves. You can certainly exfoliate with a scrub or give yourself a great facial mask. However, what is disturbing is the trend that almost anything can be done at home if you can purchase the tools or ingredients online.

I can't express how wrong that line of thinking truly is. People can do permanent and physical damage to themselves. While researching this article, I found some astonishing stories about what people have done to their bodies. For instance, in November 2008, a Korean woman did the unthinkable in an attempt to plump up her face: She injected her face with cooking oil. She is now severely disfigured.

Checking out blogs, I found that people suffering from acne scars were sharing detailed instructions on how to perform their own "skin needling" by using sewing needles or purchasing online "skin needling devices". Two things can happen by doing this: one, you can cause severe infection, and two, you can create MORE scars. In addition, this has not been shown to be effective.

I was also horrified when I saw that strong chemical peels are being sold online at auction sites. People are buying acid from a total stranger and applying it to their faces. They have no idea what's really in that product.

I have seen terrible complications from do-it-yourself procedures with my own eyes. One of my patients let a "doctor" inject her face in a hotel room with an oily substance from a pitcher. She is completely disfigured.

In some incidences, plastic surgery has been required to fix the repurcussions of these procedures, and no, it is not covered by insurance. Before you take matters into your own hands, stop and think. A nightmare result from cutting corners could cost you in more ways than just your bank account!

Wishing you great skin!

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Dr. Baumann is author of the best-selling book, " The Skin Type Solution." To learn more about her revolutionary skin typing system, visit her Web site, SkinTypeSolutions.com. 

All of Dr. Baumann's recommended skin care products are available online, and a portion of proceeds goes to The Dermatology Foundation.

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