INTRODUCTION

Acne vulgaris is a chronic skin disease involving the sebaceous glands, which usually begins in adolescence when hormonal activity changes [1]. It is a common disease affecting 9.38 % of the world’s population. Considering the statistics of diseases incidence, it is one of the most common diseases in the world – the eighth most common disease [2], and about 65 % of women’s visits to the dermatologist’s office are because of acne [3]. Acne vulgaris is a disease that affects many aspects of a patient’s life, not only the patients’ outward appearance related to the condition of their skin, but also their self-esteem and quality of life [4]. It has been shown that the presence of acne is associated with a higher incidence of mental disorders – depression and anxiety disorders [5]. For women, it is associated with a twofold higher prevalence for secondary depressive disorders [6]. Scientific papers point to the need for the treating physician to pay special attention to the mental state and level of self-esteem of the patient being treated for acne [7].

Social media are online communication channels (websites or computer applications that use Internet access) that allow their users to interact with other people [8]. Today, social media activity is a part of everyday life. As of January 2024, 5.04 billion people were using social media – that’s 62.3 % of the world’s population [9]. According to studies, social media is increasingly applicable to healthcare [10].

The purpose of this study is to analyze the presence of acne vulgaris information on social media, and to determine their impact on the health behavior of acne patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In order to create this review paper, scientific papers previously published were analyzed – after entering the “acne vulgaris”, acne social media” and “social media” keywords into the PubMed database search engine, results were obtained. Based on the content of these works and their conclusions, a comparative analysis was made and stats on social media activity were included.

ETHICS STATEMENT

This study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki.

DISCUSSION

The use of social media has an impact on health behavior and public health. Their impact on these aspects is both positive and negative [11]. Unfortunately, their use involves the possibility of acquiring unverified and untrue information, which is erroneously presented in them as confirmed and reliable [12]. Use of social media also has an impact on self-esteem, which can be disturbed in people with acne due to their skin symptoms, and the use of social media and the content found therein can further hinder persons’ ability to perceive themselves correctly while struggling with skin conditions. People with acne under the influence of seeing photos on social media may develop feelings of stigma associated with their disease. The study found that the amount of time spent viewing photos on Facebook correlated with stronger feelings of stigma resulting from being compared to other people [13]. In addition, the Baker and Young study proved that up to 89 % of pregnant women reach out to social media for answers about pregnancy-related conditions [14]. The use of social media, and in particular the photo-editing filters that are available on these platforms, is also leading to an increased acceptance of cosmetic procedures to improve appearance – one of the main motivations reported by patients seeking beauty procedures is to look better on photographs. Patients who spend more time being active on social media may be more likely to consider appearance-altering surgery [15,16].

Social media and its content are an important source of knowledge for acne vulgaris patients – according to the research, 75.08 % of patients get information about the disease from social media [17]. 45 % of people search social media for information on acne treatment [18]. So-called “shorts,” which are short videos available on the Tik Tok app and in the form of Instagram Reels that include information about acne vulgaris, have become popular [19]. Unfortunately, most of the information (“content”) about dermatology and available on social media is created by non-dermatologists, which has a negative impact on the quality of the content provided [20]. The trend of a sense of lack of realism also applies to the image of pregnancy in social media. A study by Liechty et al. found that as many as 65% of women that based on their own experiences of pregnancy, considered the social media-created image of physiological changes concerning a pregnant woman’s appearance to be unrealistic and exaggerated [21]. The quality and correctness of the content available on this type of media is debatable – an analysis of the videos available on TikTok based on DISCERN criteria has shown that the content posted there contains deficiencies that can mislead the user; for this reason, information gained on this platform should always be consulted with a professional [22–24]. Content posted on Instagram under the “#acne” phrase was mostly created by so-called “influencers,” and in less than 4 % of cases, by dermatologists. Moreover, when it came to the presence of acne treatment recommendations in the content of the posts, only 11 % referred to treatment in accordance with current guidelines [25]. This is important information because 76 % of patients do not consult their doctor about the information they have gained through social media [17]. Patients who suffer from acne are prone to edit their photos with filters and graphics programs before sharing them on social media. The need for photo editing spurs patients to seek professional dermatological help [26]. The materials posted most often include information on the use of over-the-counter (OTC) medications [20]. Research in Saudi Arabia found that one of the most common recommendations available on social media channels was to drink more water (40.4 % of posts analyzed) and to change diet (37.3 % of posts analyzed) [27]. Patients who use social media are most likely, based on information they find in it, to use over-the-counter medications (81 % of respondents) and to make changes in their diet (40 % of respondents) [18].

Social media can also be a source of news about the side effects of therapies recommended by dermatologists, as well as provide potential patients with information about achievable treatment outcomes. An analysis of posts on Instagram collected under the “#accutane” keyword shows that 45.8 % of respondents treated with Accutane noticed an improvement in the appearance of their skin, and the most commonly reported side effect of the treatment was dry skin [28]. An analysis of videos posted on TikTok using the popular “Accutane Check” buzzword (trend) showed that most of the materials depicted the state of the skin before and after treatment with Accutane, while comments were made about possible side effects [29].

CONCLUSION

The study suggests that there is a significant impact of social media on the treatment of acne vulgaris, which is something that dermatologists treating patients should keep in mind. Materials posted there are an important source of information about acne vulgaris for patients. Acne vulgaris usually manifests itself in adolescence, and among young people the use of social media is a popular activity. Patients, based on materials posted on the Internet, may take actions not consulted with a doctor that may affect the treatment process. The quality and content of materials available on social media due to their preparation by non-dermatologists can mislead patients. The physician treating a patient should be prepared to clarify inaccuracies published in online materials. Spending long periods of time on social media can lead to negative consequences in terms of lowering the self-esteem of patients being treated for skin diseases. Social media activity influences patients’ health behavior, and it can affect the decision to see a dermatologist or to accept medical procedures, and consequently the decision whether to use them. The popularity of social media can benefit dermatologists who, by following social media trends, will be able to better understand the patient and will be prepared to answer questions that may arise from patients who actively use them to provide the patient with reliable information in line with current guidelines. Doctors should be prepared to explain any concerns arising from erroneous social media content. It is necessary to make patients aware of the pitfalls waiting for them on social media in the form of unverified and unreliable information. Further research is needed to gain more information on patients’ health behaviors undertaken under the influence of the social media content.

REFERENCES

Notes