The craze of following whatever new fad one's favourite celebrity is promoting has been a trend for a while now. Be it the Keto diet or the vampire facial or even coffee enema — fans are ready to follow anything and everything blindly as long as their idol promotes it.
But how safe are these trends? Dr Lauren Streicher, author and associate professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at Northwestern University in Illinois in the US shared with Daily Mail Online that most of her patients are completely unaware that their idols profit from promoting these fads.
Also read: Celebrity diets to avoid
And as credible as their most of their claims might seem – with their lithe frames and ever so glowing skin – Streicher believes their tips are actually dangerous, putting people at risk of several infections.
"I think people just assume that since they are famous that they have some inside information," Streicher told Daily Mail Online. "It never occurs to fans that the celeb is making huge money from their advice."
And while healthy practices like Pilates and mindfulness are often promoted, too, most of the time celebrities steer towards potentially dangerous practices. The following are on the list of bits of advice that shouldn't be followed at all, according to the doctor.
Gwyneth Paltrow's coffee enema
Paltrow's website Goop recently received a lot of flak after recommending the Implant-O-Rama System At Home Coffee Enema system – a device used to inject coffee via the anus to cleanse the rectum, large intestines and liver.
Streicher said the procedure involves hot coffee inserted into the rectum and large intestine through the anus using an enema. "There's no enema that's going to detox your body," she shared. "It's complete nonsense."
She also said the risks outweigh the benefit, especially since the coffee is hot: It ends up causing burns. Also, the enema device can cause damage to the bowel and intestine tracts by poking holes in them. In fact, it even has the potential to disrupt the intestine's bacterial flora, thus subjecting it to infections.
"This isn't the case of it being worthless and harmless. This is worthless and potentially dangerous."
Khloe Kardashian's baby wipes to reduce vaginal odour
The reality TV star has an app filled with lifestyle tips, and last year she mentioned her go-to ways to keep the "lady parts happy". On that list was wipes to keep the vaginal opening clean and prevent unpleasant odours.
Streicher said if at all there is a persistent odour, it is due to the vagina's pH balance and not hygiene. Vaginal odour is also an internal issue that cannot be solved with wipes. "If you have bad breath and you try to solve it by washing your face, your breath will still stink," Streicher said.
Apart from causing vaginal rashes and irritation, Streicher said the method was like "spraying perfume on the outside of the vagina to get rid of an odour that could signify an infection." But most importantly, the vagina is "self-cleaning."
Shailene Woodley's vagina sunbathing
Shailene Woodley had shared in an interview with Into the Gloss that she sunbathes her vagina to avoid yeast infections, referring to an article written by a herbalist who claimed vitamin D was the best protection against yeast infections and other genital issues.
Streicher believes this is far from accurate. In fact, such exposure can cause the vagina to sunburn and can even lead to skin cancer, as the vagina lacks enough skin pigment to protect skin cells from UV damage from the sun.
"When sensitive skin is exposed to the sun, it can cause a sunburn," Streicher explained.
Kandi Burruss' sugar remedy
The singer-songwriter believes putting sugar in the vagina could help make it "sticky" and "sweet". Her advice went viral right away, with multiple women sharing they were trying the "hack".
But Streicher believes that's the quickest way to get a yeast infection, which causes the vagina and vulva to itch because yeast thrives on sugar.
Jessica Alba's corset mandate
Post the birth of two daughters, Jessica Alba told Net-a-Porter magazine that a double corset for three months straight was her remedy to get the pre-baby body back.
"I wore a double corset day and night for three months. It was sweaty, but worth it," Alba said. "It was brutal; it's not for everyone."
But Streicher believes even though they can offer a slimmer waistline temporarily, they can also lead to digestive problems, aches and pain.
Meanwhile, orthopaedic surgeon Dr Brad Thomas told LiveStrong about the effects of wearing a corsage: "Your organs are also pushed upward, reducing lung capacity while making breathing more difficult and certainly unsafe for exercise."
