While holidaying in Krabi Islands recently , actress Nidhi Subbaiah set her face on fire. No, she wasn’t involved in an accident. She voluntarily tried out the fire facial, which is a rage in the beauty industry .”The therapist performed a regular facial and for the final touch, covered my face with a cloth that was soaked in some kind of an alcoholic concoction. She lit it, and just before the flames could touch my skin, the cloth was removed,” says the actress, admitting the only reason she attempted it was to win a dare. She adds, “I was told it would remove dead skin cells and lighten the tone, but I think other normal facials have the same effect.”
The process
Huo liao, or fire facial, was introduced a couple of years ago in China and needless to say , it took the cake, the baker and the bakery in bizarre beauty treatments.
– A towel soaked in a `secret elixir’ best known to the therapists is placed on body surface -face, neck, back, thighs, legs, hands and even stomach.
– A small amount of alcohol is added on the towel to help start a fire.
– In the next few seconds, the flame is extinguished with another towel, just before it touches the topmost layer of the skin.
– A moisturising lotion is massaged on the area to soothe any irritation.
What it does?
Some of the popular beauty claims include –
– Smoothing out wrinkles and reducing sagging of skin.
– Removing dead cells.
– Lightening skin tone.
– Reducing dullness.
– Relaxing muscles.
– Boosting metabolism and burning excess fat.
– Helping reduce joint pain .
Why it’s a crazy idea?
For starters, setting a body part on fire is not safe. Skin specialist Sanjay Mehra says, “Heat can trigger changes in the body’s chemistry , which can improve metabolism. But, the dangers of trying out this beauty fad overweighs whatever benefits it promises. For instance, what if your therapist’s reflex is inadequate and your skin gets burnt? There are chances of hair catching fire. You can develop itching, rashes or even end up with hyper pigmentation.” Nidhi Solanki, a therapist with a spa chain, adds, “This trend is not a tested one, and the results are not guaranteed as well. Instead of opting for bizarre methods, people should stick to beauty procedures that are normal.”
Recall
An equally crazy beauty trend involving fire surfaced early last year, after a Brazilian model revealed she burns her hair to keep it healthy.Velaterapia (using open candle flame to control split ends) apparently helps nutrients reach the roots of your tresses and reverses damages caused by chemicals and other `heat’ treatments, including straightening.