Doctor: Popular charcoal masks could cause permanent skin damage

A popular “do-it-yourself” charcoal mask that has been trending all over the internet could cause serious damage to your skin, according to a dermatologist.

"It might be dangerous if you like all three layers of your skin," Dr. Seth Forman, a dermatologist in Tampa, Florida, said in an interview with WFTS.

Many people have taken to YouTube to show users the painful process of peeling off the charcoal mask. Many of these products are sold from “unregulated vendors,” WFTS reports. Forman said that some of these products are mixed with a foreign charcoal powder and super glue, and will “most likely” be illegal soon.

If certain layers of skin are peeled off, it can lead to scarring and infection "especially when you get down to the second layer (of skin)," according to WFTS.

The good news is that there is a large variety of FDA approved facial masks that are safe, Forman said.

Cox Media Group