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Myth Versus Reality: A Review of Social Media Claims and Scientific Evidence for Arnica montana in Postinjectable
Natalia Ryzhaya1, Jason K Rivers2,3
1Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Background:
Reduced bruising and swelling after aesthetic procedures accelerates recovery. Arnica montana is widely used by physicians and promoted on social media, although its efficacy in aesthetic medicine remains uncertain.
Objective:
To evaluate the validity of social media claims regarding Arnica's therapeutic benefits, focusing on aesthetic injectable procedures.
Materials And Methods:
Social media platforms, TikTok and Reddit, were searched on April 24, 2024, covering a 2-year period, using terms: "arnica montana," "arnica," "arnica filler," "arnica botox," and "arnica gel." A literature review was conducted using OVID Medline and Embase databases with keywords "arnica" and "arnica montana."
Results:
A total of 48 TikTok posts and 305 Reddit entries were identified; with 91.7% and 58% of posts, respectively, endorsing Arnica use, primarily without scientific evidence. The literature review revealed limited and mixed evidence for Arnica's efficacy, with only 1 study addressing dermatologic injectable procedures. Systematic reviews indicated a small effect size for Arnica in surgical settings, with no specific focus on dermatologic applications.
Conclusion:
Despite its popularity on social media and frequent use by health care providers, scientific evidence supporting Arnica's efficacy in reducing bruising and swelling after aesthetic procedures remains inconclusive. Social media discussions predominantly supported Arnica use, with limited opposition noted.
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