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Fake News Exists in the Beauty World, Too. Don't Believe These Viral Headlines

We sort fact from fake in eight eyebrow-raising headlines

by Katie McCarthy | COMMENT

PHOTO 5/9

"Use Guava Leaves to Beat Wrinkles, Acne, Dark Spots and Skin Allergies" The claim: This inscrutable guide from a site called pinoyhealthguide.com discusses the miracle that is the guava leaf, which the author claims can erase wrinkles, pimples and hyperpigmentation and calm inflammation from atopic dermatitis.

Shared: 60.9K times

Fake or fact: It's a toss-up

Why: Wexler defends some of this article's claims. "It is a fact that the leaf of the guava fruit has more antioxidant properties than the fruit itself," says Wexler. "It is extremely high in lycopene, and vitamin C, which is responsible for stimulation of collagen, protection against UV damage, and anti-inflammatory properties." She says guava leaves are also an "effective antibacterial" treatment for acne and possess "anti-allergic properties" to fight atopic dermatitis.

Sobel is more cautious, citing the lack of published evidence for the effectiveness of such a home remedy. "Guava leaves may have some properties to exfoliate or help with irritation, but there are no studies to show this method can extract enough of it to be effective," he says.

Image via Getty

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