Here, I have taken information from a clinical article which shares the warnings of relying on some of the "inaccurate" (let's say, "rubbish") one can find on social media about treating acne. The citation for the information and link to the original article is given in (1) below.
Social media has a huge impact on acne (Acne Vulgaris or AV) treatment, especially among teenagers and young adults.
This study (1) shows that patients with AV frequently resort to the internet and social media to seek treatment for their disease and to obtain information about their disease. However, in addition to providing quick access to information, social media is a platform where not only physicians but also non-specialists in the field of health share posts about diseases.
According to Borba et al.'s (2) study, the acne education videos that patients searched on the internet were clearly inaccurate and of poor quality, and incorrect or irregular treatments recommended on social media could contribute to the exacerbation of acne.
For this reason, patients easily access unreliable and inaccurate information and can try different forms of treatment without a doctor's control. There is a lot of misinformation on social media regarding acne treatment, highlighting the importance of appropriate patient education for those suffering from acne. In addition, these findings should warn healthcare professionals because patients trying treatments that are not suitable for them, are not included in the guidelines, and have serious side effects on the skin may harm individuals.
This data (1) show that 78.6% of AV patients consult social media and the internet about their illness, this is more common in men than women and is higher in single people, those in the first 2 years of the disease, and the young population and adolescents.
Due to the presence of a lot of incorrect information on the internet and social media about AV disease and treatment methods, which may lead to dangerous consequences, especially on the skin; Patients should be informed about the dangers of social media, they should be informed about the harms caused by drugs used without a prescription and without a doctor's recommendation, and physicians should be encouraged to use social media and the internet more actively.
(1) Social media use as a source of information by acne vulgaris patients. Bahar Ürün Ünal MD, Abdullah Demirbaş MD, Burcu Gök Erdoğan MD First published: 17 July 2024 https://doi.org/10.1111/jocd.16477
(2) 25Borba AJ, Young PM, Read C, Armstrong AW. Engaging but inaccurate: a cross-sectional analysis of acne videos on social media from non-health care sources. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2020; 83(2): 610-612. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2019.08.035
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