Social Media Skin Care Advice
While it can be advantageous to follow skin care professionals on social networks such as Instagram (my favorite spot), TikTok, Facebook, etc., to get tips about healthy skin care routines, product recommendations and info about certain skin care conditions, you will most likely need more information than what you are given in their 90 second post.
Comments and questions start to quickly stack up after a post is dropped, but how much interaction takes place after the post goes live? Are any of the questions really answered?
Let's take a look at an example,
Let's say a dermatologist has just posted about the benefits of adding a Vitamin C serum to your morning routine.
Readers might immediately respond with questions like:
- Can I use this under my moisturizer?
- Will Vitamin C irritate my skin?
- What order should I apply this in my skin care routine?
- What brand do you recommend?
- Will this interact with my other skin care products?
- I tried this and it made me break out. Should I stop using it?
- Can I use it at night?
- Should I only use it in the morning?
- Will it make my skin more sensitive to the sun?
etc., etc, etc.
Why You Probably Won't Get Answers to your Skin Care Questions on Social Media
On large Instagram accounts, I find the first few questions on a post are often answered, to some degree, but then it's usually radio silence from the person who posted.
Reasons you probably won't get answers to your questions:
A) They already have a full time job as a dermatologist or esthetician and they don't have hours to scroll through comments, and answer hundreds of questions.
B) Due to the nature of our individual skin, they don't always have all the information that would allow them to thoroughly answer your individual questions.
C) For obvious liability reasons, they won't be diagnosing anyone over Instagram.
When you DO actually get answers to your questions:
Truth be told, I have had a really good experience interacting with several dermatologists and estheticians on Instagram. These beautiful skin care professionals (in more ways than one) have not only responded to questions I've left on their posts, but several have also personally responded to my DM's!
This may or may not have been your experience as well. On the rare occasion you get a response to your personal questions, congrats! However, not to be the dasher of dreams, but most of the time it probably won't end up like that...or they do take the time to answer your questions, but it still leaves you with more questions...
What you Should do with Social Media Skin Care Advice
Follow Skin Care Professionals and Brands you Know you can Trust
There are lots of Dermatologists, Estheticians and even Skin Care Chemists who offer incredible advice that can be very helpful and can be taken into consideration for your own skin. Choose wisely who you choose to follow and determine whether they have the professional qualifications to give this kind of advice.
Be mindful that skin care influencers, on the other hand, most likely do not have a professional background in skin care, they are often being paid to represent certain products, and some have even offered advice (based on social trends) that can be very harmful to your skin.
Take your Social Media Skin Care Advice to a Professional
If you enjoy following skin care professionals on Instagram and other social media platforms like I do, keep it up! They can be very helpful and insightful!
Keep in mind, however, that it's just one piece of the puzzle for your individual skin care routine.
I suggest keeping the skin care advice and questions you have collected from social media and taking them with you to an appointment with your dermatologist or esthetician. That way they will have the full picture and be able to address your concerns and questions, as it applies to your skin. They can see and feel your skin in person, they know what products you're already using, and know what would be an appropriate treatment for your skin personally, and not just in general terms, or worst of all, through a screen.
Check out our Instagram account @FairfaceWashcloths and see what great skin care professionals we're following!
What skin care accounts do you enjoy following?
Share them below in the comments!
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