In the sea of the chasing latest trends in skincare and health, we have come across a new at-home facial mask trend where women are applying their menstrual blood on their face. This trend comes after the PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) Facial Rejuvenation treatment that claims to give a more youthful skin, made famous by social media influencer and reality TV star, Kim Kardashian also vernacularly called as a “Vampire facial”.

There are multiple skin treatments with various claims, however most of these treatments are required to be done in medically sterile environment by a dermatologist and a qualified aesthetician with sterile equipment. This makes the “at-home” trend of using menstrual blood on face as a skin rejuvenator or elixir claim to be more dubious.

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The menstrual blood masking trend also brings to highlight a troubling idea revolving around women embracing their matriarchal lineage – simply put this means that women feel empowered by using their own blood to heal their skin while also feeling connected with their maternal ancestors.

People who believe that menstrual masking helps with skincare also believe in an unverified claim that – As we know that human blood is rich in nutrients and when blood is applied on the skin (epidermis), the skin tends to absorb this nourishment.

According to a 2016 study published in NCBI journal, “Menstrual blood-derived stem cells are a real source to design differentiation to epidermal cells that can be used non-invasively in various dermatological lesions and diseases.”

So, does Menstrual masking has any backing from medical science and experts? Or we can discard it as an unhygienic, baseless, misguiding social media trend?

Dermatologist’s advice on menstrual masking “It is not safe or recommended to apply period blood to your face as a beauty mask. Menstrual blood consists of blood, fibrous tissue from endometrial and uterine lining, vaginal fluid. Period blood is not a sterile or pure substance and could potentially contain bacteria or other substances that could be harmful if applied to the skin on your face. Instead, there are many other safe and effective facial masks that you can use to nourish and improve the appearance of your skin. It is important to use products that are specifically designed and formulated for use on the face, and to follow the instructions for use carefully.”