Global skin diseases on Instagram hashtags

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Social Media Analysis
• Public Health

Background:

• Instagram is a widely used visual platform ideal for dermatology education.
• Social media is increasingly a source of health information for patients.
• The prevalence of common skin diseases necessitates understanding online patient communities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the presence and nature of dermatology-related content on Instagram.
• To analyze content associated with the eight most common global skin diseases.
• To understand patient interaction and information sharing on the platform.

Main Methods:

• Searched Instagram accounts and hashtags for eight common skin diseases (eczema, psoriasis, acne, pruritus, alopecia, decubitus ulcer, urticaria, scabies).
• Categorized account types, including patient experiences, private accounts, and advocacy groups.
• Analyzed over 2 million skin disease-related hashtags, noting the most frequent ones.

Main Results:

• The study identified 221 Instagram accounts related to common skin diseases.
• Patient experiences comprised the largest account category (n=73).
• Top hashtags included #acne (1,622,626), #alopecia (317,566), and #eczema (196,115), indicating high user engagement.

Conclusions:

• Instagram facilitates patient-to-patient interaction and information exchange regarding skin diseases.
• Medical professionals should be aware of Instagram's role in patient education and support.
• Leveraging Instagram can be a valuable strategy for public health education in dermatology.