Popular Beauty Trends On TikTok May Be Riskier Than You Think

TikTok is the most downloaded app in the world, with more than 3 billion downloads total and 656 million downloads last year alone, according to Hootsuite — and it's not just for Gen Zers looking for the next dance challenge. The platform has become widely used as a fun and creative way to deliver information across a range of topics. Open Business Council found that art, jewelry, home interior and accessories, and food are among the top 10 most popular business industries using TikTok. Beauty holds the number one spot, with videos in the category earning a whopping 61,792,300 likes.

The beauty business may be booming on social media, but not all sources are credible and some TikTok beauty trends can include false, misleading, or harmful information. It turns out "skinfluencers" — that is, non-professionals promoting skincare hacks that aren't always backed by conclusive evidence that validates their claims — proliferate on TikTok. Fortunately, more dermatologists are stepping in to clear up more than your acne.

Some popular beauty trends on TikTok that dermatologists say to avoid are sunscreen contouring, high-frequency facials, and slugging Vaseline over your moisturizer (per Nylon). In addition, according to HuffPost, DIY treatments such as microneedling, injections, and pore vacuuming are other risky fads to stay away from. They may seem simple, easy, and promising, but these skincare crazes can lead to serious issues. 

This is especially true of at-home mole removals. Miami-based dermatologist Dr. Annie Gonzalez said that removing a mole yourself is dangerous and could lead to infections and scarring (per HuffPost). Leave that job to the pros. More importantly, a doctor can identify rather or not a mole is cancer-related. 

With that being said, just because it's on TikTok doesn't necessarily mean it's bad. But you must be discerning about who you're getting your advice from. Muneeb Shah, DO (@dermdoctor), Sandra Lee, MD (@drpimplepopper), and Camille Howard-Verovic (@dermbeautydoc), are a few expert beauty TikTokers with content you can trust. Following accounts from real licensed dermatologists, then talking to your own healthcare professional about what you want to try is key.