British laser and medical aesthetician Rebecca Treston explains the risks behind the BB Glow treatment – and suggests some safe options that promise similar, if not better, results

Waking up with a perfectly even, glowy complexion. The BB Glow treatment packs a big promise, having been dubbued “substitute for the fountain of youth”— but it does not come without risks.

Bazaar talks to Dubai-based skincare expert Rebecca Treston as she shares her thoughts on the treatmeant, while revealing a few safer alternatives to consider instead.

What is BB Glow?

Originating from South Korea, the BB Glow is an intensive skin treatment that uses microneedling to penetrate the deep layers of the skin and tattoo BB Cream into the skin as a form of semi-permanent make-up. The BB Glow promising to hide blemishes and giving you that flawless “no-make-up make-up” look. Think of it as tinted skincare which provides your face with a nice and even foundation.

The BB Glow technique is said to improve the overall appearance of the skin, smoothening fine lines and wrinkles, evening out the skin tone and minimizing hyperpigmentation and age spots. The effects of the procedure generally lasts between six and twelve months.

Dubai-based skincare expert Rebecca Treston shares her take on the popular Korean beauty treatment — along with a few safer alternatives

What are the risks and side effects of the BB Glow?

Disturb any of these complex components of the skin, and the outcome may be problematic. According to Rebecca Treston, the BB Glow involves non-degradable materials found in the over 40-plus ingredients of the treatment can cause dangerous side effects and damage the skin, such as an increased risk of allergies, contact dermatitis and post-inflammatory pigmentation (PIH). In the long run, the BB Glow treatment may also lead to cell damage and cancer.

“Thankfully, I have not seen as much activity or activity promoting the BB Glow treatment in the recent months – likely since many beauty consumers are becoming more aware of its risks and potentially dangerous side effects. I have no issues with injecting pigment into small areas such as the eyebrow or lipline as this can make a dramatic aesthetic improved and it is a small facial area. My opinion of BB Glow still stands firm – I do not recommend it,” says Rebecca.

The risk of experiencing post-inflammatory pigmentation – a common side effect of the BB Glow – increases for people with fair and pale skin tones, who ironically happen to be the main market for the popular beauty treatment. 

“If the person placing the pigment into the skin places it into the dermis, something that is entirely possible even with a 0.5mm needles if enough pressure is applied, then it is incredibly dangerous because of the long-term negative impacts it can have,” says Rebecca. “The most concerning risk with the BB Glow, is that if the dermis is impacted during treatment (something that the practitioner would not know) then the BB Glow treatment can ultimately lead to cancer. This is an adverse outcome that is invisible to the naked eye and may take years to show,” she explains.

Is it possible to safely reverse the effects of the BB Glow, or remove the treatment from the skin?

“Unfortunently, the BB Glow treatment is almost impossible to reverse. My recommendation would to be to seek the advice of a laser skincare expert who can devise a long-term treatment plan to assess the skin and see if the BB Glow treatment could be removed safely,” explains Rebecca.

British laser and medical aesthetician Rebecca Treston

What sort of treatments should I consider instead if I want similar results as the BB Glow?

Rather than choosing the BB Glow, which is a quick fix, Rebecca argues that money is better spent on laser or energy-based treatments, which fundamentally alter the skin at a cellular level.

“For instance, if you have uneven skin tone or redness, or are trying to cover up blemishes, then I would opt for an energy-based treatment such as BBL or a laser treatment such as PicoGenesis or the StarWalker. These treatments will eliminate the flaws and leave you with a beautiful, radiant natural skin that doesn’t need to have any pigment injected,” explains Rebecca.

To further hydrate the skin and enhance its nutrition, Rebecca suggests treatments such as mesotherapy, which will safely and effectively put a cocktail of vitamins, peptides and/or hyaluronic acid into the skin using microneedles.

Will the BB Glow treatment ever become FDA-approved?

Before any treatment becomes approved, it must undergo rigorous checks and testing, as well as receive the seal of approval from a panel of scientists, doctors and experts.

“Given that it is simply not possible to perform this treatment knowing whether you have impacted the dermis, I do not expect the BB Glow Treatment in its current format to receive FDA approval.

However, in the future, BB Glow may inspire other treatment innovations that will be proven to be wholly safe and become approved, concludes Rebecca.

For more information on laser treatmeants or to book a consultation with Rebecca visit dubailondonclinic.com

Lead image from Harper’s Bazaar Arabia’s February 2021 issue. Photographer: Fernando Rodriguez. Beauty: Gio Lozano. 

Other image courtesy of Instagram/@rebeccatreston