Hollywood – the world of aesthetic clinics and beauty. You can bet that if there’s a new treatment being pioneered somewhere in the world, Hollywood will be the first ones to try it – that’s if it wasn’t invented there!
We take a look at some of the strangest beauty treatments coming out of Hollywood and exactly how they’re supposed to benefit you….
Gwyneth Paltrow: Bee Sting Treatment
Gwyneth Paltrow is no stranger to the weird and unconventional when it comes to trying new things.
One of her most eccentric moments was embracing Apitherapy – getting purposefully stung by bees in an effort to reduce inflammation, scarring and relieve pain from rheumatoid arthritis.
Now might be a good time to point out that apitherapy is NOT backed up by science and could actually be potentially very dangerous for those who are allergic to bees but don’t know it.
Pioneered” by the Ancient Greeks, this is a treatment that needs to stay in the past!
Cate Blanchett & Sandra Bullock: Penis facial
This one could well take the top spot for “most weird” on our list!
The ‘penis facial’ is the nickname given to a procedure that uses an EGF (epidermal growth factor) serum, which in this case, is cultivated from the foreskins of Korean infants….
Stem cells are beneficial in regenerating skin and young stem cells, in particular, are believed to activate ageing cells to produce more collagen.
As Korea has a large supply of foreskins, obtained during circumcision, it must have seemed a no-brainer!!!
The conventional microneedling process is used to administer the facial. Despite being very strange sounding, both Cate Blanchett and Sandra Bullock have endorsed the treatment, with Bullock speaking about it on Ellen. This could also steal first place for being the most controversial….
Angelina Jolie: Caviar body treatment
We all know caviar to be a luxurious delicacy, but have you ever considered using it on your skin? Well, Angelina Jolie did, to render the veins in her arms, hands and forehead less visible after losing a substantial amount of weight.
The treatment involves using a cream made from the eggs of the Baerii sturgeon, reared on farms in the south of France.
If you’re keen, you’ll have to be prepared to be wrapped in tight bandages for three hours, so your body can sweat out the toxins beforehand and better absorb the cream.
It must be worth it, as stars such as Mick Jagger, Kate Moss and Stella McCartney have all given the treatment a go. It does make you wonder what food celebrities will find to rub themselves in next though…!
Japanese Nightingale Facial
Rumour has it this is a favourite with none other than Harry “heartthrob” Styles. You might not be so into him when you hear what it consists of though.
The Japanese Nightingale facial is also known as the bird poo facial, for the simple reason that it uses dehydrated bird faeces to brighten your skin and combat acne.
According to experts, it’s no different from having mild acid like glycolic acid on your skin. The excrement is mixed with water and rice bran then dried under a UV light.
Personally, we think we might stick with the glycolic (non-bird poo!) approach.
Oil pulling
Famed entrepreneur Lauren Conrad is well-known for her endorsement of oil pulling, an ancient folk remedy that claims to freshen your breath and whiten your teeth.
It works by swilling (coconut) oil around your mouth for around 15 seconds, the aim of which is supposed to reduce harmful bacteria in the mouth. In doing so, you reduce the amount of plaque and therefore improve your oral hygiene.
Whilst this all sounds positive, it’s not actually backed up by any scientific evidence, which incidentally is often the case with celebrity treatments….!
A more effective way to improve your oral hygiene is to attend regular hygienist appointments for a scale and polish treatment – we think we will stick to that until any hard evidence surfaces where oil pulling is concerned!
Cold water therapy
One of the less weird treatments on our list, cold water therapy actually has some scientific backing, which is a good start!
Supermodel Helena Christensen has used Instagram to show her endorsement of the practice, sharing a video of herself submerging herself in an icy river, though she doesn’t express her reasoning for doing so.
Cold water therapy restricts blood vessels which in turn, can benefit you in a myriad of ways, improving sleep, metabolism and reducing swelling and inflammation.
Studies have also shown the psychological benefits of taking a chilly shower or swim. It can help treat depression symptoms by triggering mood-improving neurotransmitters, inducing a sense of wellbeing. Give it a go by taking a trip down to your nearest beach or lido.
Please consult your doctor if you are planning to try any of the above treatments!
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some of these are really odd, especially the bee treatment! However I would like to try cold water therapy, it seems like one of the only celeb treatments on this list which is something Id like to give a go. It might seem a the most boring out of the lot but im not the extravagant type :p
The caviar treatment is so weird but I’d really like to experience it lol. Some of these treatments are absolutely wild!