Viral skincare routines for young girls on TikTok may be more harmful than they appear, according to a new study from Northwestern Medicine, carrying a high risk of skin irritation, and often lacking the most critical steps recommended by dermatologists: sunscreen.
The peer-reviewed study, published Monday in the American Academy of Pediatrics, analyzed 100 unique videos on the "For You" TikTok page for 13-year-olds, and collected demographics on content creators, number and types of products used, and total cost of regimens. Researchers then created a list of products used and their active and inactive ingredients, followed by patch testing to identify those with a high risk of inducing a long-lasting skin condition known as allergic contact dermatitis.
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WATCH HEREThe study found girls between the ages of seven and 18-years-old were using at least six products on their faces, as part of a "get ready with me," or GRWM video. Some girls used more than a dozen skin care products in the span of a short time, the study said.
On average, each teen's daily skin-care routine, which often emphasized "lighter, brighter skin," cost around $168, the study found, with some costing more than $500.
The study also found that only 26% of the daytime routines contained sunscreen, "arguably the most important skin care product for any age range, but particularly for kids," a release from Northwestern Medicine said.
The videos with the most amount of views contained an average of 11 "potentially irritating active ingredients" that could lead to skin irritation, sun sensitivity and the skin condition known as contact dermatitis, the study found. Such irritation could lead to a life-long allergy to certain kinds of soaps, shampoos and other cosmetic products, researchers said.
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In one video included in the study, a content creator applies 10 products on her face over the course of six minutes, with the user reporting burning, discomfort and a visible skin reaction.
"'That high risk of irritation came from both using multiple active ingredients at the same time, such as hydroxy acids, as well as applying the same active ingredient unknowingly over and over again when that active ingredient was found in three, four, five different products,” corresponding author Dr. Molly Hales, a postdoctoral research fellow and board-certified dermatologist in the department of dermatology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine said in the release.
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SIGN UP Researches of the study concluded that there was little to no skin care benefit from the routines for the populations they are targeting.
"Skin care regimens on TikTok are costly, infrequently include sunscreen, and often involve exposure to ingredients that carry a risk of irritation, allergic contact dermatitis, and sun sensitivity," the study said.
"It's problematic to show girls devoting this much time and attention to their skin,” Hales said. “We're setting a very high standard for these girls. The pursuit of health has become a kind of virtue in our society, but the ideal of ‘health’ is also very wrapped up in ideals of beauty, thinness and whiteness. The insidious thing about ‘skin care’ is that it claims to be about health.”
