4 Beauty regimens that could kill you—literally

When you’re outside enjoying your much deserved R&R, the last thing you want to think about is the many ways you could possibly die. And yet the sad truth is that some of the most popular and loved pampering activities could be dangerous.

It doesn’t hurt to be careful of them, for your sake and your family. Here are five of them:

1. Massage

“Physically, it is a series of pressing, tapping, and kneading with palms, fingertips, knuckles to remove blockages along the meridians of the body and stimulate the flow of energy (qi) and blood to promote healing from within.”

But massages could also be lethal.

Earlier this year, a Singaporean woman died after she underwent a TCM Massage. The authorities reported that she experienced severe convulsions during the massage and soon went into a coma.

“In general, when you’re unwell, it’s not advisable to have a massage,” said Dr. Khoo Yong Hak. “The problem is some people don’t know they have a medical condition.”

2. Salon shampooing

What is particularly harmful about shampooing at salons aren’t the shampoos and chemicals they use but the way with which they do it. Typically, when you’re having your hair shampooed, they will have you lay back on a chair with your head hanging over a basin.

The danger lies in the way with which the neck is angled down, which strains the blood vessels and causes small blood clots. These blood clods could then turn into a stroke, which can paralyze you.

This condition is popularly known as “Beauty Parlor Stroke Syndrome.” Make sure that whenever you're resting your head over the basin, your neck is properly cushioned and that you're not craning your head so far back.

3. Sharing make up brushes

Sharing make up brushed may not seem all that dangerous. Unhygienic, yes, but not lethal. Well, think again.

A woman was left paralyzed after she covered a blemish using a friend’s make-up brush. The culprit was staphylococcus bacteria, a kind of germ typically found on the skin or inside the nasal cavity of people. Apparently, the bacteria entered her body through the pimple wound and spread through her bloodstream.

Make up brushes, like tooth brushes and soap and undergarments, are personal items and should therefore never be shared between people.

4. Manicure and pedicure

If you're a regular customer at nail salons, you should pay close attention on this item. A 22-year-old Brazilian woman was diagnosed with HIV after getting a manicure using shared equipment.

Additionally, the doctors also found that she had shared “manicure instruments years before with a cousin who was later found to be HIV-positive. Doctors say the case, which was first reported in the journal AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses last year, highlights a “new form of transmission for the virus.”

If this one hasn't scared you off, make sure that the nail salons you frequent properly sanitize their equipment.

READ: An allergic reaction to henna dye left woman’s face distorted

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