Acne treatment: Analysis of acne-related social media posts and the impact on patient care

Many patients use social media as a source of medical information on dermatologic diseases. Social media offers accessible methods of communicating with physicians, other patients, and pharmacies. The information gathered through social media posts has the potential to influence patients' views of their conditions and treatment options, though the source often is unknown. This systematic review examined the content and source of social media posts identified using the search terms acne and treatment across all social media platforms available through a commercial social media data aggregating software (Crimson Hexagon) from May 2008 to May 2016. The goal of this study was to identify sources of acne-related social media posts to determine communication trends to gain a better understanding of the potential impact social media may have on patient care.