Skin, Hair, and Nail Supplements Advertised on Instagram: A Survey of Selected Posts

    August 2021
    Dina Zamil, May Ameri, Shangyi Fu, Ferris Munzer Abughosh, Rajani Katta
    TLDR Instagram ads for skin, hair, and nail supplements often make broad health claims without clear ingredient information, and are not FDA-regulated.
    The study evaluated Instagram posts advertising skin, hair, and nail supplements, collecting 100 posts from March 2021. The posts had a median of 30 likes and 0 comments, with only 4% made by verified accounts. Only 1% of posts contained a visible Supplement Facts label, and nearly 20% made no mention of ingredients. About 33% mentioned vitamins and 25% mentioned minerals without specifying which ones. The most common health claim was "make skin glow", and hair loss/growth and acne were the most frequently mentioned conditions. 22% of posts featured influencers, 6% included a giveaway, and 7% included a promo code. The study concluded that dermatological supplements on Instagram contained various active ingredients and made far-reaching health claims, including addressing skin conditions, arthritis, cardiac issues, and weight loss. The FDA does not regulate the safety of these supplements, nor evaluate the validity of such claims. The study suggests that dermatologists could utilize social media to debunk health myths and accurately counsel patients.
    Discuss this study in the Community →

    Research cited in this study

    1 / 1 results

    Related Community Posts Join

    6 / 1000+ results

      community I am actually regrowing my hairline without minoxidil or finasteride (mechanical stimulation)

       128 upvotes 6 years ago
      Regrowing hairline without the use of Minoxidil or Finasteride, and instead using mechanical stimulation such as Derma Roller, Nizoral, Zinc Pyrithione, Scalp Massage, Scalp Exercise, Fish Oil and other topical solutions. It is cautioned that there are risks associated with not using medically-prescribed treatments, but it is suggested to consider mechanical stimulation in addition to those prescribed treatments.

      community Back from the dead! (Progress update)

      in Progress Pictures  994 upvotes 6 months ago
      A user shared their hair regrowth progress after a year of derma stamping, daily minoxidil, and four months of oral finasteride, along with regular workouts. Others discussed the effectiveness of these treatments and additional methods like red light therapy and RU58841.

      community Yes, most models are absolutely on finasteride

      in Finasteride/Dutasteride  1104 upvotes 9 months ago
      The conversation discusses how many male models and celebrities likely use finasteride to prevent hair loss, with some expressing surprise that it's not just good genetics keeping their hair intact. Specific treatments mentioned include finasteride and, in one query, minoxidil.

    Similar Research

    5 / 1000+ results