Olivier Amar in The Face

Plastic surgeon Dr Olivier Amar is concerned that those who have regular clinical treatments may overestimate their ability to administer potentially dangerous treatments themselves, buying chemical peels and cosmetic devices – radio-frequency machines, LED lasers – from dubious online sources, some of which are not properly regulated and can seriously damage the skin causing burns and scarring.

“You can’t become a cosmetic doctor overnight,” he says. “Being unable to access your usual clinical treatments can have a negative impact on people’s self-confidence and mental health, but when people try and perform these home alternatives it can be incredibly dangerous. Particularly when people try to “boost” the efficacy of a device using settings that are too intense.”