TikTok skincare routines lead to ‘problematic’ and ‘harmful’ lifelong allergies scientists find

An investigation by Northwestern Medicine in the US found that the skin care industry is increasingly marketing to young people via TikTok, with a product mix that carries a high risk of skin irritation and allergy

TikTok teen skincare routines have been revealed to be potentially harmful, possibly leading to lifelong allergies, according to a new study.

Skin care is trending among the youth, but alarm bells are ringing over the products tweens and teens are using. Researchers at Northwestern Medicine in the US have found out that girls aged seven to 18 are slathering on an average of six different face products, with some using up to a dozen or more. The study pointed out that such products are often heavily targeted at youngsters and come with a high risk of skin issues and allergies.

Alarmingly, the most popular videos on TikTok boasted an average of 11 active ingredients capable of irritating the skin, increasing the danger for youngsters to develop allergic contact dermatitis. This skin condition could severely restrict their choices in soaps, shampoos, and makeup for life.

Dr Molly Hales, a board-certified dermatologist and the study’s lead author, commented on the findings: “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.”

The Daily Record reports that the study, published in Pediatrics, found the financial burden of these skincare routines was staggering, with daily regimens costing an average of $168 per month, and some exceeding $500. However, a mere 26% of these popular daytime skincare routines included sunscreen, a crucial product for any age group.

Dr Tara Lagu, the study’s senior author, noted: “We saw that there was preferential, encoded racial language in some cases that really emphasised lighter, brighter skin. I think there also were real associations between use of these regimens and consumerism.”

The study ultimately concluded that these TikTok skincare videos offer “little to no benefit” to their young target audience. Hales pointed out that it’s also “problematic to show girls devoting this much time and attention to their skin”.

She added: “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.”

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In the study, researchers set up a new TikTok account, claiming to be 13-years-old. They used the app to gather data on content creators’ demographics, the number and types of products featured, and the total cost of the skincare routines.

The team also compiled a list of active and inactive ingredients in the products and pinpointed those with a high risk of causing allergic contact dermatitis.