Doctor warns against TikTok trend of shaving using sandpaper

When it comes to education about skincare, health, and beauty, TikTok has been revolutionary. However, those navigating this virtual space need to do it with caution—not everyone who is giving you advice has the qualifications to do so. Now, doctors and experts in the field have been constantly battling misinformation and harmful practices that have been going viral on the platform, and the latest one on their radar is the trend of shaving legs using sandpaper.

What is sandpaper shaving?

This trend went when first-time TikTok user jules49of shared this tip on the content sharing platform. She said she picked this rather unusual technique up from another TikToker, who is an also accountant, and decided to try it out in disbelief. Jules said that the accountant recommended her fellow viewers to use a 600 grit sandpaper square to rub one spot ten times clockwise, and another ten times anticlockwise. Jules demonstrated the tip on her own legs, and followed by saying that it actually worked. She said:

I did it. Oh my god! My skin is so soft. It’s awesome and it works. I have been using a frickin’ razor all this time. Didn’t need one, just some sandpaper—600 grit sandpaper. Thank you accountants of TikTok.

TikTokers try it out

Her video racked up 1.8 million views with over 300,000 likes and other women started to try out her neat DIY hack. While the sandpaper trick did work on other followers, one in particular was not pleased with how long it took.

Other users flooded the comments saying that sanding down layers of skin will lead irritation or worse, micro cuts that can then infected.

The Tab spoke to NHS dermatologist Dr. Sreedhar Krishna about the raging trend, and he said:

This is a bad idea on the basis that the rotational effect of shaving your legs in this way can upset and aggravate the hair follicles. This can then lead on to folliculitis, a tricky condition in which individuals develop pus spots on each follicle.