A recent online beauty trend is raising some eyebrows. Influencers are now claiming that bananas are miracle wrinkle reducers, nature’s answer to neurotoxin injections. Get ready for questions about this.
It’s the banana peel that’s getting all the attention. Proponents of this viral trend recommend rubbing the inside of a banana peel all over the face and leaving it on the skin for about 15 minutes. They claim that because the peel is rich in lutein and antioxidants, it acts as a wrinkle-reducer. And apparently the riper the banana, the better.
While videos on this beauty hack are getting millions of views, explain that there isn’t any good clinical evidence supporting it. Nor is there any good clinical evidence supporting topical lutein for wrinkles, the banana constituent most advocates are attributing to its benefits. Plus, there are some safety concerns. Using banana on the skin can cause hives in some people – and allergic reactions are possible in those who are sensitive to other plants such as latex, avocado, and kiwi.
While banana might not be the answer, there are some natural ingredients worth considering to reduce wrinkles. Tell patients that applying creams, peels or lotions containing alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) such as glycolic acid to the skin reduces wrinkles and other signs of aging such as sun spots. They seem to work by removing the top layers of dead skin cells and increasing the thickness of deeper layers of skin. There’s also evidence supporting vitamin C – applying topical products containing 3% vitamin C might reduce the appearance of wrinkles on the face after 12 weeks.
The demand for anti-aging products remains strong, and beauty trends aren’t going away. For now, steer patients toward ingredients with supportive evidence. And remind them that not every beauty trend is backed by good data.
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