Anna Stepaniuk, Marta Lewoc, Aleksandra Czupowska, dr hab. n. med. Anna Baran, prof. dr hab. n. med. Iwona Flisiak
Key words: acne, social media
Abstract
Introduction: Acne vulgaris is a skin disease associated with dysfunction of the sebaceous glands and the hair follicles, affecting the majority of young people in Poland and often having impact on many aspects of life.
Aim: To examine the attitude of young people’s opinions on the picture of acne on social media.
Material and methods: In 2019 an original anonymous survey was conducted among 100 subjects. They filled 39 questions regarding acne and social media. In the group 82% were females and 18% males. Almost 90% of the responders were between 19 and 24.
Results: Almost 85% ever had acne, 58% of the responders were treated by the dermatologist. 45% agreed that acne affects the way they spend free time. Over 30% claimed it has influenced their life choices. 80% spend more than an hour daily on social media. More than 25% always cover acne in content they post on social media. Almost 25% think social media made dealing with acne harder in real life. Over 24% changed the treatment based on advice they received on social media. More than 80% of studied persons thought health care professionals should discuss acne more on social media.
Conclusion: Our survey showed that it affects everyday life and has influence on behavior, especially on social media. In the times of virtual reality health care providers should be more active to improve the picture of acne on social media, spread reliable medical knowledge about the disease and the need for appropriate treatment.
