Celebrities inspire beauty tips and tricks everyday, but last week a trending topic prompt Twitter user to emulate Kylie Jenner’s lips in an unconventional way. The “Kylie Jenner Challenge” encouraged participants to plump lips to an extreme size by suction cupping through a shot-glass or cup.
Participant’s lips are pumped larger as air is being sucked out of the cupping device, according to Pablo Prichard, MD, chief of plastic surgery at John C. Lincoln Hospital.
“Suctioning air from shot glasses creates a vacuum in the glass. This creates negative pressure in the shot glass. The lips and blood vessels in the lips are exposed to this negative pressure, which draws blood and fluid into the blood vessels and tissue,” he said.
This practice can lead to permanent damage to the mouth area, according to Dr. Prichard.
“If done aggressively, the capillaries will be under too much pressure and rupture. This causes bruising and telangiectasia – or ruptured capillaries that can become permanent,” he said, “Telangiectasia is unsightly tiny red spider like broken capillaries around the mouth and lips. Other risks are damage to the fatty tissue and skin due to pressure with future indentations. If done repetitively, the stretching and shrinking of the skin in a cyclic manner can cause skin laxity over time. This along with the telangiectasia gives an aged appearance to the face over time.”
Incidents of glass breaking and causing severe cuts to the lips and mouth have occurred too, he said.
Dr. Prichard said the healing process could take days at a minimum, and warns individuals to be careful of over-challenging themselves.
“If only swelling and bruising, this is reversible with a few days to a week of mouth rest. Some effects like telangiectasia may need laser therapy for correction,” he said, “If swelling and bruising do not resolve over a few days or if there is extensive swelling, then best to see a doctor.”
“Since this is a ‘challenge’ and since it involves younger people, the risk is that the participants will try to out do each other and become more dramatic in their attempts, thereby causing themselves harm.”
