By Cheryl Lim

A "KITCHEN beauty remedy" used by some women here is giving doctors and dermatologists reason for concern.

Crush some aspirin tablets, mix them well in water until they form a paste, then apply the paste on the face.

That is how some women are tackling the problem of oily skin.

The problem is that there is no clinical proof that this will work, and the women run the risk of developing a bad allergic reaction.

Aesthetic doctor Calvin Chan of Calvin Chan Aesthetic and Laser Clinic sees about five patients a year who approach him with problems caused by such "home remedies".

He said: "The worst-case scenario is an allergic reaction but the odds of it happening are low."

Such reactions include "patchy redness, peeling, itching and red bumps".

Plastic surgeon J. J. Chua of JJ Chua Rejuvenative Cosmetic and Laser Surgery described the practice as "very primitive".

He said: "Commercialised products have a vehicle in which the ingredient is carried, that delivers a calculated and constant amount of the active ingredients."

Still, women here believe that the salicylic acid - a common ingredient in skincare products - in aspirin will help solve their problems with oily skin.

One of the remedy's fans is 55-year-old housewife Camy Teo, who heard of it from a friend. She said: "Initially, I was sceptical, as I always saw aspirin as medicine. But my skin looks clearer and feels smoother after using (the paste) just once."

But doctors do not recommend such remedies.

Dr Chua said that the danger involved in using the homemade paste is akin to that in experimenting with the unknown.

"If you want a perfumed shower cream, you buy one in the fragrance you like. You don't buy an unperfumed one and pour your perfume into it. These experiments... should not be done by yourself, it should be done by others, like skincare companies."

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