Q&A: TikTok, other social media opportunity for dermatologists to connect with patients
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Key takeaways:
- Dermatologists made up 16.8% of creators making skin care content in 2021.
- Social media can provide dermatologists with a platform to reach patients outside the walls of their office.
Many young people turn to social media to learn how to care for themselves, which gives physicians the opportunity to share their expertise beyond their clinic.
Out of 400 videos on TikTok in 2021, dermatologists made up 16.8% of the creators making content about skin care, according to a study published in Journal of Drugs in Dermatology. Further, 37.3% of videos were posted by licensed professionals compared with 62.7% being posted by non-licensed creators.
“For physicians considering using social media, it’s important to see that it is a way to connect with people outside of the office, and to really reach a larger audience when it comes to education and awareness,” Marisa Garshick, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology in New York and New Jersey and American Academy of Dermatology social media ambassador, told Healio. “Because our society has evolved into being so connected by our phones, it really has become a way to relate to patients — even existing patients — in a way that you can’t just by seeing them in the office.”
Healio spoke with Garshick about her experience creating and consuming social media content, trends that have traveled from her phone into her office and how dermatologists can reach their patients outside their office walls.
Healio: What changes are you seeing in skin care trends, especially among younger people?
Garshick: I’ve seen a general enthusiasm for skin care. In the past 5 years, really since the pandemic, skin care has become a big focus and a big priority for a lot of individuals, especially in the younger population. People want to have a skin care routine. Often, they are not sure what they should be doing, but they like the idea of caring for their skin. I think as we phase out of the pandemic, people are not necessarily wearing full faces of makeup, and people are starting to appreciate the idea of how we can feel like the best version of ourselves in our own skin.
Healio: Why do you think younger people are more likely to follow the advice they see on social media?
Garshick: For younger people, social media feels more relatable. If they see a dermatologist in the office wearing a white coat vs. on their screen, I think they can identify with what they see on social media because it is what they are doing. It is how they are communicating, how they are finding information, how they are socializing with friends. This is an extension of that. It takes away the intimidation of someone who is a doctor, whom maybe they do not feel comfortable asking questions in the office setting.
Healio: What influence do TikTok and other social media platforms have on the skin care community?
Garshick: They have had a big impact. We have seen products going viral purely based on somebody seeing them on social media. All of a sudden, they sell out in stores, or I have patients coming in and telling me about a product they saw on TikTok, asking if I have heard about it. That is why dermatologists having a presence on social media helps to guide the trends, so we know what is going viral is evidence-based and supported by the dermatology community.
Healio: Are there any trends or products that younger people and their parents should be wary of?
Garshick: Something young people should know is that youthful skin, young skin, teen skin does not always need a ton of products. Especially for somebody who has “normal” skin, not dealing with breakouts or pimples yet, skin care can be very simple and still effective. What ends up happening on social media is people are very easily influenced by all that is out there and want a lot of products. Less is more. Do not feel like you have to buy a ton of different products, and make sure that you are not using products that are not designed for your skin.
On the flip side, for somebody who is dealing with acne, obviously TikTok and social media are filled with DIY remedies and things you can find in the kitchen and put on your skin. And as much as it might seem like, oh, if it is at home, it must be safe, there are proven, evidence-based, clinically shown ingredients that can be effective for acne. If you are dealing with breakouts or dry skin or sensitive skin, it is always best to check in with a board-certified dermatologist before trying any TikTok-driven products or at-home tools.
Another big category is at-home devices: at-home lasers, at-home dermaplaning, microneedling devices. For someone who is just starting out with skin care and at-home treatments, recognize that those devices can have risks associated with them and not that much benefit.
Healio: How can social media users determine whether products they see online will be beneficial or harmful?
Garshick: It depends on who you are getting that information from and how much you trust what they are saying. When you hear somebody talk about a product, you want to know what the ingredients are. You want to know if they have done any studies to show any benefits or clinical endpoints, and then you also want to know whose skin is it good for? You can take that information and seek out an expert — your pediatrician, your board-certified dermatologist — and understand what makes the most sense for your skin.
Healio: Should social media users be wary of sponsored posts about skin care products?
Garshick: I do think that this is an area where social media can be difficult to navigate. I know a lot of dermatologists who are on social media, and a lot of the products that we recommend are ones that we have tried, we have used and we feel comfortable standing behind. If it is somebody you trust, and you have used their recommendations before, then sometimes the sponsor component is just them knowing that they love it. It is important to always take it with a grain of salt, but really at the end of the day, it still comes down to how comfortable you feel with the person you are receiving that information from.
Healio: How can physicians use TikTok and other social media platforms to educate younger audiences about proper skin care?
Garshick: You have to understand who your audience is and how to bring the information to their level. TikTok is a way to break things down, to make concepts that feel complicated easier to digest, and a way to normalize a lot of medical conditions. In person, sometimes patients are nervous to discuss certain conditions that they may be experiencing. On social media, physicians have a role in bringing awareness to certain conditions and allowing people space where they can open up if they want to get answers.
For example, within the skin cancer space, there is a lot of awareness about getting a skin check and what to look for in a mole or changing spot. There have been followers of mine who reached out saying based on this post, I realized I had a spot, I went to check it out, and it turned out that it was skin cancer. Physicians should recognize that with social media, they can make a difference in someone’s life.
Reference:
- Campbell JR, et al. J Drugs Dermatol. 2023;doi:10.36849/JDD.6676.