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The public has a genuine love affair with everything skin, from beauty and antiaging, to what’s a good moisturizer or…. Wait… yes…what is that rash brewing down there? Before texting a friend or calling their doctor, most people turn to social media as the authoritative source on skin. It’s easy, convenient and with just a tap away, you have someone giving their advice on the best lotion for your skin or their opinion on what your rash is. The question you should be asking yourself before taking that information as fact is– who is this person giving advice and what are their qualifications? According to a 2020 study, health care professionals make up only 38% of Instagram accounts with popular dermatology content, and board-certified dermatologists account for just 4%. Board certified dermatologists are physicians with an MD or DO degree that have completed residency training in dermatology and passed an exam that tests their qualifications to practice. In the social media world, many people have labeled themselves as skin-care experts or skinfluencers, but they may lack qualifications. The reality is most of the dermatologic advice on social media is provided by nondermatologists. Do you remember having to painstakingly cite your sources for your English paper? Why did your teacher make you go through all of that? Because the source of your information is important for accuracy. The concern with social media is that misinformation or opinion may be pushed by influencers that are not board certified dermatologists. Remember that period facial that was all the rage on TikTok a few years ago? Yea, not a good plan. A study of YouTube videos on topical psoriasis therapies found that the majority discussed natural treatments (55.3%), and only 28.1% discussed therapies with grade A recommendations by the American Academy of Dermatology. So what’s the big deal? Well, grade A means that there is solid evidence to recommend those treatments. That is not to say that natural remedies don’t have a role in treatment, but in this study, it shows that there isn’t a balanced representation of treatments supported by the evidence. Now I am not saying that we should ban nondermatologists from talking skin on social media. Quite the opposite. I believe there is value in their role as well, such as drawing attention to certain skin conditions that have flown under the radar, like hidradenitis suppurativa, or sharing their experience with their skin condition. These conversations can also drive patients to see a dermatologist to evaluate their skin. And I do believe we are all entitled to our opinion. So, if you follow Stella Skin and she recommends a product, take it with a grain of salt. It may not provide miracles and she may be paid for promoting it (fairness note—some dermatologists are compensated too), but it doesn’t mean the product is entirely bunk. It just means that you should understand that Stella isn’t a health care professional but loves sharing her thoughts on skin. I tell my patients it’s like asking your friends for professional advice on your marriage. If it’s failing, you might ask your BFF what they think and value their opinion, but when it comes down to it, you’re more likely to see out a trained professional for guidance. Trotter’s Take: In addition to your current skininfluencers, follow a board certified dermatologist so you can get a balance of opinion and facts with everything skin. Check out my podcast with Dr. Larry Green here as we tackle social media in dermatology.