The charcoal phenomenon: is it right for your skin?

(WJBK) - People will do anything to get a youthful glow -- even applying a goopy face mask made of charcoal. Is it safe? Dr. Steven Grekin joins us on The Nine to answer all our dermatology questions.

Short answer, Dr. Grekin says the cosmetic industry is always looking for the new "buzz" word -- and now it just happens to be charcoal. He reminds us there's no science is cosmetics, and says charcoal isn't really doing anything overly scientific. He suggests some at-home remedies that he believes work better.

For example, if you want to get rid of pores he suggests squeezing a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice into your favorite cleanser. He says this will help eliminate blackheads.

"Chemically, it's a lot more gentle to remove it with something natural like lemon juice," he says. You can see some of the other products he recommends in the video player above.