With procedures such as botox injections and chemical peels you might think that going to extremes for beauty is a modern phenomenon.
But it seems that women in search of physical perfection have always been willing to try the weirdest and wackiest methods.
We have found the terrifying beauty regimes that would frighten even the most dedicated 21st century glamazon. 
This Max Factor face pack was studded with plastic ‘ice’ cubes which could be filled with water before the mask was popped in the freezer. Hangover Heaven was popular with party-going Forties Hollywood stars
Promising spot-free, smooth skin, this Thirties suction machine consisted of tiny glass nozzles attached to a rubber hose and wired up to a vacuum pump. The suction did the rest
‘Slenderising salons’ in the Forties had all manner of weight-loss treatments, from full-body wraps to chairs which massaged your legs with metal rollers
Thanks to the in-built beak, these sunglasses, designed in the Thirties, helped the wearer avoid getting their nose sunburned
Before there was the Power Plate, there was the Vibro-Slim. The Twenties weight-loss contraption would vibrate, stimulating muscle contraction and, in theory, burn up the calories.
The Thirties equivalent of a rowing machine ¿ two bandages (one for the feet and one for the neck) joined by a metal spring
Dimples ‘to order’ while you sleep! Designed in 1936, it consisted of a spring, worn round the jaw, with two tiny knobs which pressed into the cheeks
The Forties Glamour Bonnet promised a rosy complexion by lowering atmospheric pressure around the head, mimicking the effect of a brisk walk in the mountains
Launched in July 1940, this spooky headdress could be plugged in and switched on to heat the face and head, the aim being to stimulate circulation, leaving skin looking fresh
To get the tightly curled style of the day, pre-war women would spend hours having each section of hair individually set with the help of contraptions made of dozens of heating tongs
‘Freezing’ freckles off with carbon dioxide was popular in the Thirties. While it was applied, patients eyes were covered with airtight plugs and their nostrils filled in for protection. They had to breathe through a tube
Before sun cream, bathers found other means of covering up. In the Forties, the Freckleproof Cape offered protection from the sun, plus built-in sunglasses. (DM)
