Alexandra Cane is best known in the U.K. for her role on the show Love Island, but her recent use of a little-known (and frankly frightening) skin treatment is making her a household name all over the world.
Here is Cane as she normally looks.
Cane shocked her Instagram followers by posting a photo of herself undergoing CO2 laser treatment, a procedure which removes a person's outer layer of skin, revealing the smoother, younger-looking layers beneath.
Though the results are refreshing, the actual process involves intense scabbing which terrified Cane's fans who weren't expecting it.
Instagram: @ALEXANDRALOUISE__
In video posted to her Instagram story, Cane said:
"Hi, everyone. This is the current state of my skin. It looks quite bloody, and it's starting to scab over now. But all is good, according to my consultant. And yeah, hopefully in the next couple of days, all of this scabbing should start peeling off...the most sore part is my eyes, but the rest of my skin feels pretty good."
After seeing the pictures, fans immediately went a little nuts, forcing Cane to add another video to her story:
"Guys, don't panic. I've just had a few DMs saying 'Oh my god, what's happened?' If you didn't see my Stories on Thursday, I have had a CO2 laser facial. Please don't worry. This is how my skin is meant to look at the moment. All is fine."
Cane responded to a few other common lines of inquiry with written-out answers. In one message, she addressed people who thought her procedure may make the wrong impression after she's spent so much time advocating for body-positivity:
"It's skin care. I'm looking after something I didn't take care of when I was younger. It's not cosmetic surgery. It's a facial that removes a few layers of skin. Anyone that has suffered with skin problems will understand the damage it can cause mentally and physically."
She also thought that, when it comes to her own body, honesty is the best policy:
"I think it's better that I share the truth about the procedure rather than lying and plugging products saying that's how I achieve my perfect skin."
Fans couldn't believe what the treatment looked like!
Dermatologist Ellen Marmur described a similar procedure to Allure in 2016:
"The laser makes tiny holes in the skin, so it does create a pinprick-y feeling. We always start with lidocaine cream. Afterward, you may feel badly sunburned for a day. By day three, your skin has a sandpapery texture that lasts a week or two."
Shortly thereafter, Cane posted a new photo of the treatment already beginning to work! It seemed the scabs had already begun to peel around her mouth, revealing a far more normal-looking layer of skin beneath.
Instagram: @ALEXANDRALOUISE__
To see how Alexandra's facial has turned out, maybe take a look at Love Island on ITV!
Trailer: Love Island youtu.be
Alexandra Louise: Life update/Love Island chat. www.youtube.com