India, Dec. 6 -- Period blood on your face? That's an actual trend taking over social media feeds. Called menstrual masking, this DIY ritual involves swiping your own period blood across face for a few minutes and washing it off like it's just another serum. Influencers have been hailing it as "Nature's retinol", arguing that menstrual fluid is rich in stem cells, proteins, and cytokines that supposedly boost glow, repair skin, and reset inflammation. But what's the science behind this viral trend? A study published by the National Library of Medicine, the world's largest biomedical library operated by the US, found that menstrual fluid-derived plasma can indeed facilitate tissue repair and aid in wound healing. Scientists tested that using menstrual blood-derived stem cells helped wounds heal faster, grow more blood vessels, remodel collagen better, and show healthier skin regeneration as compared to wounds treated with regular keratinocytes and fibroblasts. In other words, menstrual stem cells can accelerate healing. but only when purified, processed, and delivered through a sterile biomedical dressing. "For any ingredient to help the skin, it must be processed, purified, stabilised, and delivered in a way that maintains safety and efficacy. Raw bodily fluids do not meet these criteria and there is no evidence suggesting they have brightening or anti-ageing properties," explains Dr Navjot Arora, consultant dermatologist at Dermaheal skin and hair clinic. Here's the part that social media feeds skip: the risks. Period blood is not sterile. Applying it to a face with open pores, micro-tears, or active acne can introduce bacteria and cause infections. Its pH can disrupt your skin barrier, leading to irritation, breakouts, or dermatitis. "It contains bacteria from the vagina, endometrial tissue, discharge, and sometimes traces of pathogens. When this sits on the skin, it can cause irritation, breakouts, and infections," warns Dr Bhawuk Dhir, consultant dermatologist, PSRI Hospital. There are no guidelines for how long to leave it on, how much to apply, or how often to do it, because the practice is not medically approved or studied on humans. So while menstrual masking may be the beauty world's new favourite shock-value skincare moment, it's best to skip this DIY facial for now....