Bleach facials alarming to local spas

When it comes to women’s faces, looking young is the new black. However, to get that youthful glow, some turn to a whitening product: Bleach.

Social media’s buzzing about bleach. A new Stanford University Medical Center study suggests the household cleaner has anti-aging benefits – at least in rats. Doctors say, though, that figuring out the .05% – the exact research-approved concentration – is nearly impossible.

“They’ve been using it on mice. I’m not really sure you can correlate results you get on mice to the results you get on people,”Dr. Richard Foxx from the Medical and Skin Spa at the Hyatt Regency in Indian Wells said.

We called 12 valley spas – none offering the treatment; most horrified at the thought of it. Same with Dr. Foxx.

“I had a professor tell me don’t be the first to do something but don’t be the last,” he said.

KESQ & CBS Local 2 sat down with Dr. Foxx and aesthetician, Lynn Scott, to find out what they do recommend.

“What was your first reaction when I brought up the concept of a bleach facial to you?” we asked Dr. Foxx.

“My first reaction was I would never use bleach on my skin. Bleach has a warning on it not to be used on the skin,” he said.

In fact, if you turn a bottle of bleach around what do you see? The word corrosive.

“The older we get, the slower the process of exfoliation. When we’re in our 20s, your skin turns over and exfoliates, gets rid of dead cells every two weeks, the older we get the slower that process becomes,” Dr. Foxx said.

Dr. Foxx said the key to looking younger is getting those dead skin cells off your face so light can reflect off it, not get absorbed by dead skin cells.

So, if you’re attempting to look younger, you can try this safe, time proven process – dermaplaning.

“The process removes dead cells. The oil, bacteria underneath. She’s using a scalpel blade,” said Dr. Foxx.

It’s a painless process.

“When you have procedures that are very effective, why go to something that may be problematic. You don’t know that it’s going to have complications down the line. This has been used for many years. It’s an old European method,” Dr. Foxx said.