INTRODUCTION
Racial and ethnic diversity in healthcare has been shown to reflect positively upon access to care, patient outcomes, and patient experiences.1,2 However, there is a staggering lack of diversity within the field of dermatology despite the progression toward a more diverse population in the United States. Only 3% of all US dermatologists are black compared to 12.8% in the general population, and only 4.2% of dermatologists are Hispanic compared with 16.3% in the US population.3 This gap continues to grow, limiting the quality of healthcare experiences amongst patients with skin of color. Furthermore, studies have shown a significant deficit in reference photos of dermatological conditions on non-white skin in academic textbooks and a significant disparity of dermatologic publications related to skin of color.4,5 With the profound lack of diversity among several avenues of patient care in dermatology, skin of color patients may be discouraged from seeking care from board-certified dermatologists and may turn to more accessible routes including online platforms and social media.
Social media is frequently used by patients to seek advice related to dermatologic concerns, but it is underutilized among clinicians. In a study assessing the use of online platforms among patients seeking dermatologic care, 379 (82.4%) of 460 patients reported searching the internet for medical information, 301 (65.4%) of which reported specifically using social media platforms.6 Social media and the internet bear significant potential in patient education and the dispersion of evidence-based information. However, given the transfer of information distribution from the clinician to laypersons, the risk of misinformation poses danger as well. For example, in a study assessing the influence of social media use on acne treatment, 45% of 130 patients reported consulting social media for acne treatment advice, however, only 31% of participants consulting social media made changes aligned with AAD clinical guidelines.7 This risk is even greater in skin of color patients given that most dermatologic content on social media is targeted toward white or light skin, and when applied to skin of color, can be harmful. Furthermore, in a study assessing content of Instagram posts directly related to skin of color, board-certified dermatologists generated only 12% of top posts, whereas individuals not certified in dermatology produced 88% of top posts.8 The disparity in reliable skin of color content on social media limits the ability of skin of color patients to access evidence-based dermatologic care.
TikTok, like other social media platforms, poses a similar risk to skin of color patients through the spread of misinformation and lack of evidence-based information. However, no studies have been performed to analyze its content related to skin of color. The purpose of this study was to identify top TikTok
Social media is frequently used by patients to seek advice related to dermatologic concerns, but it is underutilized among clinicians. In a study assessing the use of online platforms among patients seeking dermatologic care, 379 (82.4%) of 460 patients reported searching the internet for medical information, 301 (65.4%) of which reported specifically using social media platforms.6 Social media and the internet bear significant potential in patient education and the dispersion of evidence-based information. However, given the transfer of information distribution from the clinician to laypersons, the risk of misinformation poses danger as well. For example, in a study assessing the influence of social media use on acne treatment, 45% of 130 patients reported consulting social media for acne treatment advice, however, only 31% of participants consulting social media made changes aligned with AAD clinical guidelines.7 This risk is even greater in skin of color patients given that most dermatologic content on social media is targeted toward white or light skin, and when applied to skin of color, can be harmful. Furthermore, in a study assessing content of Instagram posts directly related to skin of color, board-certified dermatologists generated only 12% of top posts, whereas individuals not certified in dermatology produced 88% of top posts.8 The disparity in reliable skin of color content on social media limits the ability of skin of color patients to access evidence-based dermatologic care.
TikTok, like other social media platforms, poses a similar risk to skin of color patients through the spread of misinformation and lack of evidence-based information. However, no studies have been performed to analyze its content related to skin of color. The purpose of this study was to identify top TikTok
