Women buying ‘chemical peels’ on eBay suffering from acid burns
CHEMICAL peels can be great for rejuvenating the skin, as long as they’re done properly. But some dodgy products being sold online are too strong.
WOMEN are reportedly suffering horrifying facial burns after using cheap skin-peel beauty products being sold on eBay.
Bottles containing banned substances and up to 100 per cent pure acid are available to purchase for as little as $US14 ($18) — with sellers boasting it can improve acne, age spots and fine lines.
The procedure, which involves applying a weak dilution of acid to the skin to remove blemishes, is usually carried out by a qualified beautician in a salon and can cost up to $US1,900 ($2442).
But it’s understood rogue manufacturers, mainly based in the US, are selling “medical-grade chemical peels” online for $US15 ($19).
Some of the products were found to be made up of 100 per cent pure acid while others contained trichloroacetic acid (TCA), which is banned for use in cosmetic products in the UK.
Hannah Smith, from Wiltshire, a county in South West England, bought a TCA product on eBay but says she was left “in agony” after it had “eaten away” at her skin.
The 23-year-old was told by her doctor that she was lucky she didn’t need surgery.
“It was a starter kit, so it wasn’t meant to be dangerous,” she told the Mail On Sunday.
“But within seconds, it felt like my face was on fire. There were lesions eating away at my face. I couldn’t go to work for nine days.”
The campaign group Safety in Beauty said it has received 27 reports of chemical peels going wrong in the last year.
Founder Antonia Mariconda told the newspaper they’ve had reports of people buying them at car boot sales.
She said: “People might think they are just skin products, but the injuries can be tantamount to an acid attack. Even the lightest peel can do long-lasting damage.”
An eBay spokesman said: “This type of item is prohibited on our UK platform and will be removed.”
This article originally appeared on The Sun.