TikTok: Is It Time to Start Trending with #PlasticSurgery?

Area of Science:

• Social Media Analysis
• Plastic Surgery Trends
• Digital Health Communication

Background:

• TikTok, a rapidly growing short-form video platform, has become a significant space for health-related content.
• Understanding the dynamics of the #PlasticSurgery conversation is crucial for public health and professional engagement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze trending plastic surgery videos on TikTok.
• To investigate the engagement and characteristics of the #PlasticSurgery hashtag on the platform.

Main Methods:

• Prospective analysis of top trending TikTok videos using the #PlasticSurgery hashtag in November 2020.
• Inclusion criteria: videos with over 100,000 likes.
• Analysis of user credentials, engagement metrics (views, likes, shares, comments), hashtags, and video content.

Main Results:

• Top 376 videos garnered over 1.68 billion views.
• Videos by board-certified plastic surgeons showed higher average likes and views compared to non-surgeons.
• Augmentation mammaplasty, body contouring, and rhinoplasty were the most viewed procedures.
• Educational videos significantly outperformed entertainment-focused videos in engagement.

Conclusions:

• Educational plastic surgery content, particularly from board-certified surgeons, achieves high performance on TikTok.
• TikTok offers a valuable platform for plastic surgeons to educate the public and establish professional credibility.