Social Media and Psoriasis: Tackling Misinformation on TikTok

This article was originally published on Dermatology Times®.

Social media, specifically TikTok, has become a space that patients increasingly turn to for health information. Given the platform’s rapid growth, researchers behind a recent study stated that ensuring the reliability and evidence-based nature of its medical content is crucial. The study built on Oulee et al’s research on atopic dermatitis on TikTok by examining videos related to psoriasis.^1-2

Overall, the study found a “considerable” amount of misinformation on TikTok regarding psoriasis. | Image credit: nikkimeel - stock.adobe.com

Dermatology Times has previously written about the role of social media in dermatology, such as in the case of hyperhidrosis, acne vulgaris, and dermal fillers.

“As with any medical condition, dermatology professionals can expect many misconceptions trending on social media," wrote Renata Block, MMS, PA-C, on the topic of social media and misinformation. "Patients come into the clinic with frustrations about the treatments attempted with DIY modalities and even side effects that resulted from trying.”³

Similarly, the authors behind a study into dermal filler misinformation, “TikTok provides an excellent opportunity for medical professionals to reach patients and provide valuable educational health information," de Baun et al, stated. "However, currently, the majority of TikTok videos suggested by TikTok's algorithm on dermal fillers are posted by unlicensed individuals, lack quality, and sometimes promote non-FDA-approved methods. This underscores the need for more qualified and highly trained medical professionals to share high-quality educational content that includes proper citation information, additional sources of information, and support for shared decision making."⁴

Study Methods

To conduct the study, researchers searched TikTok using “#psoriasis” and reviewed the first 200 videos. They excluded 65 videos for being non-English and 1 for focusing on seborrheic dermatitis, leaving them with 134 videos. Each video was categorized by creator type (patient, dermatologist, health/wellness guru, or other), and the number of likes each video received was recorded. For educational content, researchers assessed its reliability using National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines and clinical knowledge summaries.^5-6

Results

The study’s analysis of TikTok videos about psoriasis revealed the following:

• Creators: 54% (n = 73) of the videos were made by patients, 12% (n = 16) by dermatologists, and 11% (n = 15) by health/wellness gurus. The remaining 30 videos were produced by various other individuals.
• Content from Patients: Focused on personal experiences with psoriasis, with 49% showing the physical removal of psoriatic plaques using a fine-tooth comb. Researchers noted these videos were popular, amassing around 5 million likes. However, they noted this practice may worsen psoriasis due to the Koebner phenomenon.
• Educational Content: Produced mainly by dermatologists and health/wellness gurus. Of 47 educational videos assessed for reliability using NICE guidelines, 55% (n = 26) were reliable, while 45% (n = 21) were unreliable. Reliable content, primarily from dermatologists, covered psoriasis etiology and treatments. The study stated that unreliable content, mostly from health/wellness gurus, suggested replacing prescribed medication with dietary changes for better relief.

When looking at likes, the study’s main analysis centered around educational content. They found that content deemed “reliable” obtained a total of 2 million likes, whereas content deemed “unreliable” only obtained 850,000 likes. While researchers found this to be a positive revelation, it was still made clear that misinformation gains considerable attention. One video researchers found particularly harmful obtained 400,000 likes and stated that there was a “causal link between psoriasis and a yeast found in the body.”

Conclusion

Overall, the study found a “considerable” amount of misinformation on TikTok regarding psoriasis. Researchers found that much of the patient-generated content focused on removing psoriatic plaques, which could worsen the condition. Additionally, they felt health/wellness gurus produced “large amounts of misleading content.” The study recommended that healthcare professionals advise patients to be cautious about health information on social media and direct them to more reliable sources. They also felt that increasing healthcare professionals' presence on social media and producing evidence-based content could help counteract misinformation and improve the quality of information available on the platform.

References

1. Ahmed, H. (2024), Descaling psoriasis narratives on TikTok: A cross-sectional study. Skin Res Technol., 30: e13877. https://doi.org/10.1111/srt.13877
2. Oulee A, Ivanic M, Norden A, Javadi SS, Wu JJ. Atopic dermatitis on TikTok: a cross-sectional study. Clin Exp Dermatol. 2022;47(11):2036-2037. doi:10.1111/ced.15322
3. Block R, Hebebrand M. Social media and hyperhidrosis: Facts vs fiction. Dermatology Times®. Published June 26, 2024. Accessed August 1, 2024. https://www.dermatologytimes.com/view/social-media-and-hyperhidrosis-facts-vs-fiction
4. de Baun H, Cerri-Droz P, Khan S, Alper D, Rao B. A cross-sectional analysis of TikTok's most popular dermal filler videos. Skin Health Dis. May 6, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1002/ski2.390
5. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Psoriasis: assessment and management. NICE Guideline CG153. Published January 1, 2012. Updated August 10, 2019. Accessed August 1, 2024. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/CG153
6. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). NICE clinical knowledge summaries. Accessed August 1, 2024. https://www.nice.org.uk/cks-uk-only