Hair Loss Treatment Information on Facebook: Content Analysis and Comparison with Other Online Sources

November 2020 in “ Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology ”

Aditya K. Gupta, Iordanka A. Ivanova

minoxidil finasteride hair transplant FDA-approved treatments non-FDA approved products before & after photos Rogaine Propecia

TLDR Most Facebook posts about hair loss treatments are promotional and not medically supported, with better quality information found on YouTube.

In August 2020, researchers analyzed 133 Facebook pages and 750 posts related to hair loss treatments and found that most content was promotional, focusing on products, clinics, or fundraising, with only 3-13% supported by medical evidence and receiving low user engagement. Non-FDA approved products were more expensive than FDA-approved treatments like minoxidil, despite less online information. Google searches for minoxidil and finasteride were increasing, suggesting patients were looking for information on platforms like YouTube, which had higher quality content. Hair transplant posts, particularly "before & after" photos, were popular on Facebook and Instagram, but some set unrealistic expectations. The study concluded that Facebook hair loss content was of lower quality compared to YouTube, and emphasized the need for physicians to guide patients towards accurate online information.

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