Acne Information on Instagram: Quality of Content and the Role of Dermatologists on Social Media.

Abstract

While it is evident that many patients turn to social media for information about skin care, the quality and content of available information are not well characterized. In this study, we investigated acne-related information available on Instagram, one of the most popular social media platforms. We searched for the “top” Instagram posts using the hashtag #acne and characterized 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 non-dermatologist 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 mention were beta-hydroxy acids (eg, salicylic acid), alpha-hydroxy acids (eg, glycolic acid), vitamin C, niacinamide, and sunscreen. 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. A vast amount of content is 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. J Drugs Dermatol. 2022;21(3): doi:10.36849/JDD.6411.