Assessing Alopecia Areata Misinformation: Social Media Analysis

July 2026 in “ JMIR Dermatology ”

Shanika Francis, Ank A Agarwal, Aaron Fanous, Dawn H. Siegel, Roxana Daneshjou

alopecia areata AA misinformation social media YouTube TikTok

TLDR Most social media content on alopecia areata is unrelated to treatment, with little accurate information available.

This study analyzed 98 YouTube and 222 TikTok videos related to alopecia areata (AA) to assess the accuracy of information available on social media. It found that a significant portion of content was categorized as "other," not directly related to AA treatment, with 76% of YouTube and TikTok videos falling into this category. Accurate and medically backed information was present in 13% of YouTube and 17% of TikTok videos. Only a small percentage of videos contained misinformation, with 0% on YouTube and 1% on TikTok. The study highlights the need for healthcare professionals to guide patients towards accurate resources and combat misinformation on social media platforms.

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Research cited in this study

4 / 4 results

research BH14 Bald-Faced Lies: A Qualitative Review of Misinformation on Alopecia

June 2024 in “British Journal of Dermatology”

Misinformation about alopecia is common online and can harm patient choices.

research Social Media Use in Patients with Alopecia Areata

2 citations , September 2023 in “Journal of the Turkish Academy of Dermatology”

Patients with alopecia areata use social media for information but trust their doctors more.

research Alopecia Areata and Pattern Hair Loss (Androgenetic Alopecia) on Social Media – Current Public Interest Trends and Cross-Sectional Analysis of YouTube and TikTok Contents

January 2023 in “Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology”

Alopecia areata gained more interest on social media than pattern hair loss, with TikTok showing more personal stories and YouTube offering higher quality educational content.

‘You Lose Your Hair, What’s the Big Deal?’ I Was So Embarrassed, I Was So Self-Conscious, I Was So Depressed: A Qualitative Interview Study to Understand the Psychosocial Burden of Alopecia Areata

research ‘You Lose Your Hair, What’s the Big Deal?’ I Was So Embarrassed, I Was So Self-Conscious, I Was So Depressed: A Qualitative Interview Study to Understand the Psychosocial Burden of Alopecia Areata

30 citations , September 2020 in “Journal of Patient-Reported Outcomes”

Alopecia Areata (AA) causes significant emotional distress, including feelings of embarrassment, depression, and anxiety, and impacts social interactions and daily activities.