Do Gold Facials Really Work?

Today we’re talking about gold facials — yep, a facial where they slather skin-soothing ingredients and real gold on your face.

Businesses that provide these facials claim that gold has many skin-boosting properties.

But does science-backed evidence really confirm these claims? That’s where we come in!

A gold facial? Uh… really?

Really. Some salons offer gold facials with 24-karat gold included in services, due to the metal’s purported anti-inflammatory and anti-aging properties.

While gold facials are a recent invention, there’s evidence that goes as far back as 2500 B.C. of gold used in traditional Chinese, Indian, and Arabic medicine.

For example, Swarna bhasmaTrusted Source (which translates to “gold ash”) is used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat:

• asthma
• rheumatoid arthritis
• diabetes mellitus
• nervous system diseases

In fact, gold compounds have been used off-label to treat skin conditions like cutaneous lupus and pemphigus vulgaris, says Dr. Brendan Camp, a dermatologist with Medical Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery in New York City.

Oral medications containing gold, such as auranofin, were also once used as a second- or third-line agent to reduce joint inflammation in people with rheumatoid arthritis.

“This is not common practice anymore, and it is linked to inducing specific rashes on the skin,” says Dr. Tsippora Shainhouse, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist in private practice at SkinSafe Dermatology and Skin Care in Beverly Hills, California.

Benefits of gold on skin

Advertisements for gold facials often claim that gold has a host of skin-improving benefits, including:

• reducing inflammation and redness
• protecting against free radicals
• supporting collagen production
• fighting aging

“Though scientific evidence is lacking, gold is thought to have powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties,” says Dr. Peterson Pierre, a dermatologist with the Pierre Skin Care Institute in Westlake Village, California.

Some makers of gold beauty products claim that gold flecks warm your skin to help with circulation. But most gold skin products are made with colloidal gold. These are nanoparticles suspended in liquid that are tiny enough to penetrate your skin.

Although scientific research and reviews suggest that gold compounds may interfere with processes in your body that lead to inflammation, “currently there are no FDA-approved indications for gold specific to dermatology,” says Camp.

Skin care companies claim that gold products and facials can:

• reduce wrinkles
• calm inflammation
• increase absorption of other skin care products

However, “there is no scientific data that gold can do any of this when applied to skin,” says Shainhouse. “Gold may have some antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, but there is no evidence that it’s better than any other more commonly used ingredients that have more scientific data.”

Does it work?

Sure, gold facials may benefit your skin — but it’s likely because the gold is mixed with other, more effective ingredients.

A few common ingredients added to gold that make it truly effective include:

• Peptides. Peptides are naturally occurring amino acids that make up proteins in your skin. Research, including a 2009 reviewTrusted Source, suggests peptides may help repair skin aging and sun damage and improve your skin’s barrier function.
• Antioxidants. Antioxidants like vitamin C have been shownTrusted Source to neutralize normally occurring free radicals in order to treat sun damage, skin aging, and inflammatory skin conditions like psoriasis.
• Alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA). AHAs, such as glycolic acid and lactic acid, are frequently usedTrusted Source in skin care peels to regenerate and thicken skin as a treatment for acne, scars, dark spots, and age spots.
• Glycerin. StudiesTrusted Source suggest that glycerin helps boost your skin’s barrier function to lock in moisture and protect against irritants.
• Hyaluronic acid. This substance, which your body naturally makes, binds to water. ResearchTrusted Source shows that hyaluronic acid may help increase your skin’s hydration and decrease the appearance of wrinkles. It may also help treat mild to moderate eczema by improving your skin’s barrier function, according to a 2011 studyTrusted Source.

The tiny nanoparticles in colloidal gold also give skin a shimmery glow that might make it look immediately brighter and slightly bronzed, adds Shainhouse.

“This visual effect can make skin tone appear more even and younger, as the particles reflect light,” she says.