A new internet challenge gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "my lips are sealed." Teens, mostly girls, are posting videos of themselves gluing their upper lips with different adhesives to achieve perfect pouts.
In videos posted on the video-sharing app TikTok and YouTube, girls show themselves putting eyelash, nail, and other types of glue on their upper lips, waiting for them to start to dry, and then sticking them to their Cupid's bows. Then, they reveal fuller puckers that look like they just underwent lip injections, further proving people will do almost anything in the name of beauty and how heavily they are influenced by social media.
It's only been a few years -- April 2015 -- since media personality Kylie Jenner, who takes great pride in her supersized lips, encouraged women to suck the air out of a shot glass to get a pout like hers. Suctioning the glasses aggressively, instead, resulted in some experiencing bruising, blistering, and infections that required antibiotic treatments.
Since the lip gluing challenge went viral, reaching millions of viewers, no injuries have been reported. Though viewers have deemed this challenge everything from "cute" to "dangerous," experts warn it's not safe.
Eyelash and nail glues are safe for skin, but experts warn that the adhesives are not meant for the delicate lip area and may cause irritations. All other extra-strength glues shouldn't be used on the body at all because they contain toxic ingredients.
