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- The Impact of Social Media Influencers on Youth Skin Care: A Dermatologist
Skincare routines are becoming increasingly popular online searches among young women (and men!), with TikTok and Instagram serving as hotspots for trends that come and go in the blink of an eye! In this blog, Dr. Travers examines the influence of social media on our youth’s skin care regimen and offers advice on navigating online beauty tips.
Given the popularity of skincare searches on social media, it’s no surprise that we routinely see in our Skincare Physicians clinic, young people who have adopted complex multi-step skincare routines that they’ve discovered and purchased themselves. But when does social media’s emphasis on cultivating healthy skin turn into unhealthy perfectionism? While influencers on Instagram and TikTok can be a force for good when they direct young people to beneficial skin care practices, they can also lead them into unnecessarily complicated and expensive skin care regimens. Some can even promote appearance-related anxiety, depression, and obsessive beauty behaviors, an escalating trend among young people in the current social media environment.
There’s nothing wrong with taking care of your skin and adopting good skin care habits at a young age. Our dermatologists often see young patients struggling with acne, rosacea and eczema, many of whom benefit from expert guidance on healthy skin practices. While some have found valuable advice from social media skin health influencers, others arrive with bags of products of dubious utility, all recommended by beauty influencers.
So how can we help navigate this increasingly visual world that young people inhabit? Many of the tips we share below are similar to overall precautions for social media interactions!
- Question the source and reliability of the information: Always consider who benefits most from referrals. Are influencers, and the sales force behind them, guiding young people to buy unnecessary, expensive and potentially harmful skin care products for their own profit? Do they make a commission based on the likes they get? Are their results believable?
- Watch the image manipulation: Are the before and after pictures believable? Is the lighting the same between side-by-side images? Does a close-up reveal signs of image manipulation?
- Beware of uniform claims: Does the influencer suggest one, and only one, best way to take care of your skin? Do they recommend a single product that will work for everyone? Be suspicious of such claims. There is no such thing as one size fits all when it comes to skin care.
- Check for authentic credentials: The influencer’s username suggests they’re a doctor, but there’s no evidence to support their education and experience? Do they claim to know more than doctors or do they recommend avoiding doctors? View such misrepresentations with suspicion.
Now, not all social media influencers are spreading false or harmful information to the youth. In fact, many have made the work of dermatologists easier! We’ve seen teenage acne patients who are already following a very reasonable over-the-counter acne regimen that includes gentle cleansing, daily facial moisturizers with sunscreen, and a topical retinoid called adapalene.
Social media influencers have also served a wonderful purpose in advocating gentler skin care regimens. Many of us parents remember our teenage years using harsh cleansers, Buff Puffs, St Ives’ Apricot Scrub and Sea Breeze astringents to treat our acne! Finally, I dare say that social media experts are more influential than parents in advocating the use of sunscreen! It’s a joy to see young patients in the practice who take their long-term skin health seriously and who have already started a sensible and inexpensive sun protection program.
To ensure the young people in your life are equipped to care for their skin effectively and responsibly amid the noise of social media trends, talk to them about their skin care routines and sources of information. If we, at SkinCare Physicians, can guide them toward a healthy and inexpensive evidence-based skin care regimen, please don’t hesitate to contact our office and schedule an appointment with one of our providers.
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