From TikTok beauty hacks to viral skincare gadgets, it seems many people are plucking, pinching, pumping, and pulling their way to youth in the comfort of their own homes But how effective – or safe – are these at-home anti-aging DIYs? We checked in with board-certified Dallas plastic surgeon Dr. Raja Mohan about some of 2025’s most popular do-it-yourself (DIY) dermatology and plastic surgery trends. While some may have a place in your at-home anti-aging arsenal, he says, others should remain far from your beauty routine.
Trend: DIY Filler Pens
Claim: Inject hyaluronic acid into lips or cheeks for fuller, plumper cheeks.
Doctor Says: “These at-home filler pens and DIY injection devices are unregulated and very dangerous. When fillers are injected improperly, you can have serious and permanent complications, such as infection, vascular occlusion, or loss of a blood vessel, and even permanent scarring. Never DIY filler injections!”
Trend: Face-Taping for Wrinkle Prevention
Claim: Taping your face overnight can keep muscles from moving and prevent wrinkles.
Doctor Says: “Face taping might reduce the number of creases you wake up with the next morning, but it’s only temporary. Face taping can irritate or stretch your skin with repeated use.”
Trend: Ice Rolling for Tight Skin
Claim: Rolling a cold sphere over your skin can reduce puffiness, shrink pores, and tighten skin.
Doctor Says: “Cold therapy can have an anti-inflammatory effect in the short term, but it’s no substitute for proven in-office or at-home skin tightening treatments like RF microneedling, red light therapy or injectable fillers to promote long-term collagen production.”
Trend: Slugging with Vaseline
Claim: Petroleum jelly seals moisture into skin and can fight wrinkles.
Doctor Says: “Slugging can be a useful step to repair skin’s barrier function on dry skin but it doesn’t help improve collagen production or reduce sagging. Think of it as a hydrator, not a facelift in a jar.” There are other treatments that can be used for hydrating or moisturizer that are not as thick.
Trend: Bee Venom and Snail Mucin Creams
Claim: Ingredients like bee venom and snail mucin are natural anti-agers.
Doctor Says: “While these ingredients may have some mild benefits, they aren’t magic. Most wrinkle-fighting skincare still comes from retinoids, peptides, and in-office treatments.”
Trend: Sunscreen Contouring
Claim: Apply sunscreen only to the areas of your face that you would normally highlight, to create a naturally contoured “tan” look.
Doctor Says: “Uneven application of sunscreen puts you at risk for sun damage, dark spots, and even skin cancer. I cannot stress enough the importance of applying sunscreen to your entire face.”
Trend: Facial Cupping for Sculpting
Claim: Facial suction tools lift and tone the face.
Doctor Says: “Facial cupping may have a short-term de-puffing effect on your skin from lymphatic drainage, but it won’t tighten your skin or sculpt your jawline.”
Trend: At-Home RF and Microcurrent Devices
Claim: Skin tightening and lifting at home.
Doctor Says: “Some at-home RF and microcurrent devices can offer slight, subtle results with consistent use, but they don’t penetrate as deeply or have as much power as in-office treatments.”
Dr. Raja Mohan Board Certified Dallas Plastic Surgeon
Dr. Raja Mohan is a Board-Certified Plastic surgeon in Dallas who focuses on aesthetic and reconstructive surgery of the face, breast, and body. He is one of the few surgeons in the Dallas Fort Worth metroplex with specialized fellowship training in aesthetic surgery. He offers procedures like liposuction, tummy tuck, Brazilian butt lift, breast augmentation and chin liposuction.
He has extensive training in non-invasive procedures and offers the latest in injectable fillers, botulinum toxins, chemical peels and laser skin resurfacing.
Dr. Mohan is a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) where he majored in mathematics. MIT is consistently ranked as one of the top universities in the United States. He became interested in plastic surgery in his final year of undergraduate studies and performed a prestigious research fellowship at the National Institute of Health (NIH).
His contributions led to publications in many of the highest-level scientific journals such as Nature and Neuron.
He then attended the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and received a merit scholarship. At the University of Miami, he graduated in the top 5% of his class and was inducted into the national honor society Alpha Omega Alpha. He worked closely with the division of plastic surgery at the University of Miami and published many peer-reviewed publications in major plastic surgery journals.
Dr. Mohan then successfully matched into the highly coveted integrated plastic surgery residency at the combined Johns Hopkins and University of Maryland plastic surgery program.
The Johns Hopkins/University of Maryland plastic surgery programs is one of the top ranked plastic surgery programs which features extensive training in all aspects of plastic surgery. During his residency, Dr. Mohan completed a research fellowship under the tutelage of Dr. Eduardo Rodriguez who is one of the premier plastic surgeons in the world. He is credited with performing one of the most extensive face transplants in the world and Dr. Mohan was a member of his team.
After the completion of his residency, Dr. Mohan completed a one year aesthetic surgery fellowship at Dallas Plastic Surgery Institute. This is a fellowship approved by the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS). Here he trained under world-renowned leaders in plastic surgery such as Dr. Rod J. Rohrich, Dr. A. Jay Burns, and Dr. Stephen H. Byrd. He developed highly specialized knowledge of cosmetic surgeries of the breast, body, and face.
With his broad exposure and unparalleled training, Dr. Mohan began his private plastic surgery practice in Irving, TX. Dr. Mohan, his wife, and one daughter now call Dallas-Fort Worth their home. In his free time, he enjoys exercising, travel, and writing. One of the most rewarding aspects of Dr. Mohan’s career has been the opportunity to treat underprivileged patients in developing nations. He has been involved with mission trips to Haiti and India.