Doctor issues warning about common item in women’s make-up bags which can cause a rash ‘that won’t go away’

By William On Jan 3, 2024

An expert has revealed a shocking product that the majority of women will use that could cause major problems to their skin.

Dr. Sermed Mezher is a British physician, who, according to his YouTube biography, is an “award-winning physician and published academic author in Britain, MBChB (Hons) MRes, on a mission to make health simple with high-quality scientific content.”

He posted a message on his channel in a short video @DrSermedMezherhe revealed that an anonymous 30-year-old patient finally went to the doctor due to the severity of her facial rash.

They were on steroids, antifungal medications, antibiotics, acne creams, none of them wanted to even touch it.

As the GP was baffled and nothing seemed to work, the woman was then sent to a dermatologist to see if they could help – and it was discovered that her make-up brush was to blame.

Dr. Sermed Mezher showed a video of a woman in a hurry, so mysterious that numerous treatments did not help solve the problem

In his video, Dr. Sermed continues, “This patient's case explains exactly why this 30-year-old patient went to her doctor with this rash that wouldn't go away.”

When she went to the specialist dermatologist, they still weren't sure how to treat it, so they took a smear and sent it to the laboratory.

The doctor continues: 'What they found was actually quite shocking.

'It is a bacterium that usually only occurs in people with a weakened immune system, such as people with HIV or people who have had chemotherapy, called Pseudomonas.

“Guess where they found the source?”

Shockingly, the source of the bacteria was the woman's unclean makeup brushes.

According to the doctor, 'These things contain more bacteria than your toilet seat, but don't take my word for it.

'This spectrum study essentially swapped a toilet seat and compared it to an unclean makeup kit.

Easy and Natural Ways to Clean Your Makeup Brushes

USES OF TEA TREE OIL

One blogger, Chantal from Painted Teacup, shared on her website that you can clean them well with tea tree oil.

All you need is some tea tree essential oil, another essential oil of your choice, a spray bottle and water.

She recommends using five to six drops of tea tree oil for its antifungal properties and the fact that it is a disinfectant.

“And four to five drops of another essential oil (I would recommend lavender) in a glass spray bottle,” she wrote.

'Fill the rest of the spray bottle with water, shake well and ta-da! You can spray your brushes with it every day to keep them clean.'

USES OF OLIVE OIL

One of the most popular ways to clean makeup brushes naturally is with olive oil, vinegar and gentle shampoo.

A former model and blogger, Crunchy Betty, said the first step is to pour a small amount of oil on a cloth.

'You do this to 'pre-clean' the brush, but also to condition the fibers on the bristles. This step isn't as necessary if you're using synthetic makeup brushes,” she said.

“All you need to do is dab the bristles in the olive oil and then wipe the brush (press gently) over your towel a few times until you feel it is mostly clean.”

Then pour some gentle shampoo and a little warm water into a bowl and clean the bristles in the mixture.

Once you're done with this step, dip the brushes in vinegar, as this will ensure all the oil is out of the brush while you clean them one more time, then run them under water.

WITH VINEGAR AND LEMON

Most people have a bottle of vinegar in their cupboard and a lemon in their fruit bowl. These items work well together to remove any makeup that might be stuck to the bristles of your brushes.

This is one of the most natural cleaning solutions you can make.

The best way to use these ingredients most effectively is to mix two tablespoons of white vinegar in a cup of hot water.

Swirl your brushes in the liquid and then rinse them with water once all the product has been removed.

If your brushes smell strongly of vinegar, rub them against the lemon to apply a lemon scent.

This tool in every woman's bag can destroy your skin.'

The lesson?

To keep your skin clean, make sure your makeup brushes and tools are in top condition.

It turns out that a staggeringly low number of people keep their beauty tools free.

The 2023 Beauty Pie survey of more than 1,000 people found that 45 percent have never washed their foundation brushes and more than half have never cleaned their beauty blender.

Dr. Joe Latimer, microbiologist at the University of Salford, said: 'Our skin is an ecosystem with a large number of bacteria, fungi and viruses living together, and usually our skin keeps the balance of these bacterial species in check.

'Our bacteria help keep our skin healthy and protect us from infections, but if numbers get too high we can develop problems such as acne, atopic dermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis or wound infections.'

But it's not just makeup applicators that are neglected.

'Britons also admit to leaving dirt and bacteria on skincare products such as washcloths, headbands and facial sculptors.

Grim footage captured by the beauty company, which zoomed in to magnify the tools ten times, shows what happens when you forget to wash them.

Photos of a foundation brush show encrusted bristles that collect makeup residue and oil from years old.

This product buildup occurs after continuous use if it is not thoroughly sanitized, which can cause oil and dirt to build up on the brush and skin and cause infections and acne.

But it's not just makeup applicators that are neglected. Brits also admit to leaving dirt and bacteria on skincare products such as washcloths, headbands and facial sculptors.

Facial sculptors, such as Gua Sha, were the most neglected beauty tools.

Nearly three-quarters of respondents (73 percent) said they had never cleaned theirs.

A shocking 40 percent of people said they hadn't washed their washcloths and half hadn't cleaned their facial cleansing wipes.

Gruesome photos show how the structure of a flannel cloth perfectly traps dirt and fibers, which can be transferred to the skin with every wash.

Dr. Latimer said, 'Every time we touch our skin with beauty tools such as makeup brushes, washcloths or facial rollers, we transfer some of our bacteria to the tools.

'Over time, bacteria, dead skin tissue and old skin care and makeup products will build up on the tool, allowing bacteria to multiply.

'So when we reuse the tools, we put many thousands of these microbes back on our skin. To make matters worse, bacteria love heat and moisture.

'This means that if we store our cloths and brushes in a damp environment, more bacteria will grow.'

Other beauty products, such as fake tanning gloves and skin care headbands, have also fallen victim to poor hygiene.

The doctor used his video as an opportunity to explain to people why they need to be careful when it comes to their makeup tools – and how serious these situations can become

Of those surveyed, 73 percent admitted they have never washed their tanning gloves and 61 percent admitted they don't clean their skincare headbands.

Failure to clean these tools while routinely using beauty products can lead to rashes and stains, as soft materials are a trap for dirt and bacteria.

Dr. Latimer said: 'To prevent bacteria from building up to potentially unhealthy levels, we need to remove their food, water and heat so they cannot grow.

'Cleaning skincare and make-up tools regularly and, crucially, storing them in a nice and dry place is the best way to do this.

This way you can restore the happy balance between you and your bacteria, without the risk of unpleasant spots or rashes.'