Influencer uses poop as face mask to 'prevent ageing', internet reacts

Screengrab from the video of influencer putting face mask

Credit: Instagram/ Debora Peixoto

An influencer on social media platform Instagram has come up with a bizzare beauty trend where she applies faeces on her face as a beauty face mask.

The Brazilian influencer Debora Peixoto has sparked social media outrage after the video where she applied faeces as a face mask to "prevent aging."

"It's the craziest thing I've ever done," Peixoto told Jam Press as per NDTV. Peixoto had reportedly previously gained attention for using menstrual blood as a skin treatment; she reportedly said that she decided to try the fecal mask after learning that it could "prevent aging''.

In the Instagram video, Peixoto, who has over 659,000 followers, is seen opening a container of her faeces, taken from a refrigerator, and spreading it on her face similarly to a mud mask.

She also used a clothespin on her nose to combat the smell. She is seen in the video leaving the mask on for several minutes before washing it off. The video concludes with Peixoto showing off her skin.

She claimed that it "worked for her and the skin has stopped flaking".

With many comments on her video calling it bizarre and disgusting, medical experts reportedly criticised the 'beauty treatment.'

"Of all the skincare 'trends,' this is one of the strangest I've ever come across," said Dr Sophie Momen, a consultant dermatologist at the Cadogan Clinic in London.

"There is no scientific evidence that using faeces as a face mask benefits your skin," she added.

Dr Momen said that this unorthodox method could expose individuals to bacterial and viral infections, food poisoning, and skin irritation.

Plastic surgeon Tunc Tiryaki reportedly noted that faeces contain harmful bacteria, viruses, and parasites such as E coli, Salmonella, and helminths, which can cause severe infections and diseases.

He also cautioned that applying faeces to the face could introduce these pathogens through small cuts, abrasions, or mucous membranes, potentially leading to serious skin infections or systemic illnesses.