Credits: Social Media
Most shampoos contain chemical found in pee but dermatologist warns against using it directly
TikTok has introduced us to plenty of bizarre trends and the latest addition to the list – applying pee to the hair – is despised by dermatologists.
There are several dos and don’ts for healthy, lustrous hair. From how you comb it when its wet to post-hair color care, it takes a lot to avoid a bad hair day. However, urine isn’t the solution no matter what your favorite beauty influencer says.
Don’t apply pee to your hair or skin, warns dermatologist
A couple of TikTok users are more than happy to apply urine on their hair and body while claiming that the urea in it has “magical effects.” A dermatologist took it upon herself to call out the trend for the obvious reasons.
Certified dermatologist Dr. Jing (Jenny) Liu was prompted to respond to a TikTok of a man sunbathing after allegedly spreading pee on his hair and body.
She responds by clarifying that “urea is good for your hair” and is found in the urine, but she would never recommend using pee as a moisturizer for your skin or hair.
“There’s a reason why urea is made synthetically in the lab – for safety in skin and hair care,” she warns. Not only is applying urine directly on the skin or hair “gross and smelly”, but it can introduce bacteria leading to scalp irritation and infection.
If you are still tempted to experience the benefits of urea, plenty of beauty items and cosmetics containing the chemical product have been lab-tested and safe to use.
3 things she would never do to her hair
Of course, applying pee on the hair is extreme. However, other common mistakes we make also affect the quality of our hair.
In a different TikTok, the dermatologist lists three things she would never do to her hair, including not conditioning it after every wash.
Shampoo often removes essential oils and minerals from your scalp and hair, making it brittle and damaged. Therefore, conditioning is an absolute must.
She also recommends against drying wet hair by rubbing it with a towel as hair is most fragile when wet and rubbing the towel leads to more breakage.
It’s high time you changed your hairstyle if you’ve been wearing it for a long time – especially in a high pony although it gets you more matches on dating apps.
Chronic tension at the hair root over time can cause “traction hair loss”, which you can avoid by changing your hairstyle periodically.
Dr. Jing Liu graduated from the University of Minnesota Department of Dermatology residency program. She has a special interest in dermatologic diseases in patients with skin of color.
