25513 Insta-sham?: A snapshot of Instagram-based acne content

Abstract

Ubiquitous among adolescents, acne vulgaris accounts for a significant portion of both general and pediatric dermatology visits. In this study, we sought to characterize the information available on one of the most popular social media platforms: Instagram. We searched for the “top” Instagram posts using the hashtag #acne, and analyzed them based on their source and content. Posts were excluded if they were unrelated, not in English, or duplicates. 900 posts were assessed, and 439 were included. A majority of the content (258 posts) was generated by influencers, followed by retailers (97) and nondermatologist providers (67). Dermatologists were responsible for 17 posts, accounting for <4% of the included content. 124 separate ingredients were mentioned as potential acne treatments. The ingredients with the most mentions were beta-hydroxy acids (eg, salicylic acid), alpha-hydroxy acids (eg, glycolic acid), vitamin C, niacinamide, and SPF. 254 posts recommended at least one specific intervention, and among these posts only 11% referenced a treatment with grade A evidence based on American Academy of Dermatology guidelines. By its nature, Instagram is a social media platform with constantly evolving content and this study is limited as it represents only a snapshot in time. Regardless, it is clear that there is a vast amount of content readily available to patients on this platform. This content is heterogeneous in message and quality, and dermatologists are responsible for only a small portion of it. Thus, there is a need for dermatologists to promote high-quality evidence-based treatments for acne on Instagram.