How Dermatologists Combat Misinformation on Social Media

In recent years, the subject of misinformation has pervaded many of our conversations regarding world news, politics and more. But how might it affect dermatology care, especially in the realm of social media?A recent study from the University of California found that among 439 acne-related posts to the social media platform in April 2020, only 17 of the top posts came from dermatologists. The remaining posts were generated from “influencers” with no clinical background.Influencers often received a greater average of “likes” despite dermatologists having a comparable number of followers, and often promoted skin care products that investigators noted were untested or showed no benefit of treating acne.Despite this- or perhaps because of this- there are dermatologists such as Karan Lal, DO, MS, FAAD, Schweiger Dermatology Group, who have amassed a large following and continue to use Instagram to speak to clinically-relevant, properly research skin care methods. Lal spoke to how he has used the social media platform to host a variety of conversations regarding dermatology care and broaden his reach for patients who might not always have all the appropriate resources.