Information Regarding Dermatology as Seen on Social Media Platform TikTok (Preprint)

UNSTRUCTURED Introduction: With Americans spending over two hours daily on social media, platforms like TikTok have become prevalent sources for healthcare information. This study evaluates the quality and quantity of dermatology-related content on TikTok. Methods: In November 2022, TikTok was searched using dermatology-related keywords. Accounts with ≥50% dermatology content were selected. An engagement score was calculated for each account, and the top 10 were further analyzed using DISCERN criteria. The Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests, along with a two-tailed independent t-test, were employed for statistical analysis. Results: Out of 22,411 videos, 17,085 (76.3%) were informational. Dermatologists led in paid sponsorship videos (65% of 502 videos). Significant differences in engagement scores were found across different provider types, with medical clinics and aestheticians receiving the highest scores. Dermatologist-run accounts had higher views and comments but similar overall DISCERN scores to non-dermatologist accounts. However, dermatologists better referenced treatment uncertainty and explanations, while non-dermatologists more frequently discussed treatment risks. Discussion: The substantial engagement with dermatology content on TikTok highlights its role as a significant information source, albeit with generally low educational quality. Given the high consumer trust in TikTok, dermatologists face an ethical obligation to improve the accuracy and quality of their online content to counteract potential misinformation.