PHOTOS Doctors (and fashion experts) agree: Don’t take the Kylie Jenner Lip Challenge
If you want big, beautiful, pouty lips like known PacSun saleswoman Kylie Jenner, save your pennies and have plastic surgery like a normal person. That’s the opinion of a growing number of members of the medical community, who warn that the increasingly popular “Kylie Jenner Lip Challenge” can do serious damage to your kisser.
In case you are unfamiliar with the KJLC: It involves getting a shot glass, cramming your lips inside, and sucking. It’s supposed to pump your lips up, making them sexy, and desirable. What it can do in extreme cases, though, is damage your capillaries and leave you looking as bloated and come-hither as a river corpse.
Oh, and one other thing you can do? Break the shot glass and cut your lips. Shot glasses aren’t pliable, kids–too much pressure and it’ll crack like your best friend on the morning of the SAT.
According to Dr. Dendy Engleman, just, no. “The new trend in trying to DIY lip plumping is quite concerning,” Dr. Engleman told Seventeen magazine. “Not only can significant pain, swelling, and bruising result from these suction techniques, but there is potential risk for scarring and permanent disfigurement with repeated attempts.”
And Emily Orofino of PopSugar points out the damage teens can do to their self-esteem by making uninformed decisions about altering their looks:
I am not against body modification by any means. I am against young women—who aren’t fully developed (physically or mentally)—making uninformed decisions that could change their looks forever. If you’re looking to try this big-lip trend, I recommend doing so by overlining your mouth with lipliner (that’s what Kylie claims she does!).
So: If you or someone you know is considering taking the KJLC plunge, kindly look about for help, before convincing the unfortunate person to put down the glass. Be a friend to yourself and to others.
(Photo credits: KJ on FB; Lips via Twitter)