‘I was literally gonna purchase one of these’: Woman issues warning after this popular skincare device left her with facial paralysis
A TikToker has gone viral after her experience with a popular skincare device ended in disaster. In a video that has amassed a huge 11.5 million views, Amina (@itsmemien) showed viewers her temporary facial paralysis, explaining that doctors diagnosed her with Bell's Palsy. The ailment is usually associated with viruses and immune system attacks, but in her video, Amina alleged that her paralysis was caused by the viral skincare product, the Medicube Age-R Booster Pro.
"I'm not coming on here to show you guys my tears and the way that I look just for the sake of it," she said. "I don't need the [expletive] views. I don't need the [expletive] followers. I don't need any of it. I'm just so [expletive] sick and tired of seeing this stupid Medicube Age-R Booster Pro being promoted on TikTok and tons of people buying it, and this is the result of what happened to me after two days of using them—two days on level one."
Amina says after using the device for two days, she was in the hospital and diagnosed with Bell's Palsy 12 to 24 hours later. She went on to add that despite five sessions of acupuncture and prescribed steroids, her face is showing no improvement a week on.
"Let's just be aware that we cannot buy the latest trend," she said. "We need to do some [expletive] research."
What is the Medicube Age-R Booster Pro?
The Medicube Age-R Booster Pro is a device with six functions: electroporation (delivering electrical currents to the skin to make it more absorbent), microcurrent, electric needling, electric muscle stimulation, LED light therapy, and sonic vibration. A lot of these features involve applying electrical currents to your face, which is especially popular in Korea as part of the "glass skin" trend.
Amina didn't immediately respond to the Daily Dot's request for comment via TikTok comment.
What have others said about the device?
In the comments section, many viewers said they were now sworn off the device for good.
"OMG, I was going to buy the Medicube device too!" one wrote. "Thank you so much for sharing, wishing you a speedy recovery." While another added, "Wow, I’ve used the Medicube Pro Booster… I think I’m going to stop. Didn’t know this was a possibility."
However, Amina's story didn't convince everyone.
"I’m sorry this happened to you, I have the Medicube and it’s been amazing on my skin," one commenter said. "Maybe it’s something else?" While another opined, "I saw a Medicube clarification on this and trust me....The machine CAN'T do that,there must be something else that caused that especially in my time of using it for a year NOTHING happened."
Meanwhile, over on Reddit, one user called out the lack of safety advice associated with the product. Another claimed that the product caused them to develop "strange bumps" beneath the surface of their skin.
Watch on TikTok
Does the Medicube Age-R Booster Pro cause paralysis?
In a TikTok, dermatologist Dr. Dray (@drdrayzday) notes that there isn't a lot of research associated with the product, so it's "difficult to say for sure" whether it causes paralysis. However, she did show a clip where she demonstrated a competitor's product on her face as her eye twitched aggressively, suggesting that the device has somewhat of an impact on facial muscles.
Dr. Dray didn't immediately respond to the Daily Dot's request for comment via TikTok comment.
Meanwhile, Medicube released a statement vehemently denying the claims.
"We would like to clarify that the Booster Pro device does not cause Bell's Palsy," it wrote.
"Recently, a viral video on TikTok has been spreading false information claiming that the Booster Pro device caused nerve damage. This misinformation has been spreading uncontrollably, not only affecting our customers but also misleading new individuals who are unfamiliar with our brand, Medicube."
It added, "This false narrative is creating fear that the use of the device could lead to health problems, and we are deeply concerned about the impacts on our customers, partners, and the overall perception of our products."
Dr. Shin Jae-woo, Head of Research and Development at Medicube Devices, added in a short video that getting Bell's Palsy via Medicube is "impossible."
Medicube didn't immediately respond to the Daily Dot's request for comment via TikTok comment.
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The post ‘I was literally gonna purchase one of these’: Woman issues warning after this popular skincare device left her with facial paralysis appeared first on The Daily Dot.