The majority of posts emphasized that benzene is not normally found in sunscreen and that this was a contamination issue. Most dermatologists educated the public on sunscreen’s photoprotective properties and encouraged their followers to continue applying sunscreen.
Limitations of this study include small sample size of posts and dermatologists. Dermatologists on Instagram might have posted “Storiesâ€, which could not be analyzed because they disappear after twenty-four hours. We may have missed posts about benzene, by limiting our search to “#benzeneâ€.
In sum, dermatologists on Instagram and TikTok informed followers that benzene is not a normal ingredient in sunscreen and that continued sunscreen use is essential in preventing skin cancer. Our study highlights the importance of dermatologists as health educators on social media, an increasingly popular outlet for health-related information among patients.
Limitations of this study include small sample size of posts and dermatologists. Dermatologists on Instagram might have posted “Storiesâ€, which could not be analyzed because they disappear after twenty-four hours. We may have missed posts about benzene, by limiting our search to “#benzeneâ€.
In sum, dermatologists on Instagram and TikTok informed followers that benzene is not a normal ingredient in sunscreen and that continued sunscreen use is essential in preventing skin cancer. Our study highlights the importance of dermatologists as health educators on social media, an increasingly popular outlet for health-related information among patients.
DISCLOSURES
Mr. Jafari has no conflicts of interest. Dr. Lipner has served as a consultant for Ortho-Dermatologics, Verrica, and Hoth Therapeutics.
Funding sources: Dr. Christos was partially supported by the following grant: Clinical and Translational Science Center at Weill Cornell Medical College (1-UL1-TR002384-01).
Funding sources: Dr. Christos was partially supported by the following grant: Clinical and Translational Science Center at Weill Cornell Medical College (1-UL1-TR002384-01).
REFERENCES
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2. Jimenez J. Johnson & Johnson Recalls Sunscreen Because of Benzene Traces - The New York Times. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes. com/2021/07/14/us/johnson-johnson-sunscreen-recall-aveeno-neutrogena. html. Published July 14, 2021. Accessed October 5, 2021.
3. Yousaf A, Hagen R, Delaney E, Davis S, Zinn Z. The influence of social media on acne treatment: A cross-sectional survey. Pediatr Dermatol. 2020;37(2):301-304. doi:10.1111/PDE.14091
4. Ross NA, Todd Q, Saedi N. Patient seeking behaviors and online personas: Social media’s role in cosmetic dermatology. Dermatologic Surg. 2015;41(2):269-276. doi:10.1097/DSS.0000000000000267
5. Szeto MD, Presley CL, Pulsipher KJ, et al. Dermatologist influencers on social media: Instagram Reels and TikTok interactive short videos. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2021;85(3):e185-e188. doi:10.1016/J.JAAD.2021.04.052
AUTHOR CORRESPONDENCE
Shari R. Lipner MD PhD shl9032@med.cornell.edu
