The effect of Instagram and photograph editing on seeking dermatologic care

Abstract

Background Photograph editing has become popular for individuals using social media like Instagram. However, it is unknown if the use of social media and photograph editing applications by young adults has an association with seeking dermatologic care. Aims To assess the frequency of photograph editing among a cohort of young adults using Instagram and the association with seeking dermatologic care. Methods A population‐based survey was administered to undergraduate students from April 2019 to May 2019 through an online platform. Results Of the 257 responses, 228 (88.7%) reported that they edited a photograph prior to posting on Instagram. Of those who reported editing a photograph, 145 (63.6%) edited a skin lesion, 104 (45.6%) whitened teeth, and 70 (30.7%) altered the size of their body. Of those who edited skin lesions, 128 (88.3%) edited acne/acne scars. Those who felt the editing made them more aware of their skin lesions were significantly more likely to feel they needed to see a dermatologist (P = .02, 95% CI). Conclusion Photograph editing is common among young adults using Instagram, especially in individuals with acne/acne scars. The effect of this behavior may be a motivating factor for individuals seeking dermatologic care.

Impact of Social Media and Photo-Editing Practice on Seeking Cosmetic Dermatology Care

“…In our study, the maximum numbers of participants using social media (83.6%) were between 18 and 24 years of age, which is in concordance with the findings of the previous study 3 as the youth have more inclination towards the use of social media. Similar to the study done by Chen et al, 5 the females outnumbered the males and most of the participants had at least achieved secondary level of education.…”

“…In agreement with our findings Martel et al also observed similar practices in 88.7% of participants. 3 Furthermore, concurring to the study by Sheldon et al, the time spent on editing a photo was less than 5 minutes. 17 …”

“…These findings are in concordance with the observation of different studies. 3–7 Moreover; we noted that the majority edited the skin lesion because they felt that their skin looked perfect after editing. Contrary to the present study where embarrassment due to skin lesion was present in less than one-third of the participants, Martel et al reported it as the major reason for photo editing.…”

“…Pre-testing of data collection tool was done in 40 participants to ensure accuracy and validity of the contents of the information prior to the study participant enrollment. The sample size was calculated on the basis of the previous study 3 where the expected proportion of social media users seeking cosmetic dermatology care was 41.2% with a relative precision of 10% and confidence interval of 95%, a total of 550 participants were enrolled. The study was approved by the Dermatology Departmental Research Unit (DRU) with DRU number: 05/2020 for further implementation and then the ethical clearance was taken from Institutional Review Committee (IRC), BPKIHS.…”

“… 4–7 However, a few recent studies showed an increase in dermatological care seeking behavior among social media users who edit their photographs. 3 , 5 , 8 …”