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When Ayva Peña obtained a phone at the age of 10, his interest in skin care rose.
At the beginning, she linked on it with her mother, Giselle Peña. Together, they would have spa days with facial masks and made occasional shopping trips to try new products. But when the mother of the Rhode Island found an anti-aging face cream of $ 300 in the Ayva medicine drawer, that gave her a break.
“I got very angry. … She is 15 years old,” said Peña. “He says it makes your skin without age, improves fine lines, wrinkles and firmness. I said to myself:” It is not for you, girl. “”
Peña is part of an increasing number of parents concerned On how content on social media platforms influences children and adolescents to try elaborate skin care products, often inappropriate. Now, a study Published Monday in the journal Pediatrics can confirm the concerns of these parents.
After having analyzed the beauty routines from 100 Tiktok videos by content creators aged 7 to 18, the researchers found on average 11 active ingredients potentially irritating among their diets, many of which include a risk of developing skin allergies and increased sensitivity of the sun. However, only a quarter of the long lists of products contained solar screens.
“The majority of (children) presented in these videos did not have visible acne. They had a clear and clear skin,” said Dr. Molly Hales, the first author of the study and a certified dermatologist at the Department of Dermatology of the Feinberg School of Medicine of the Northwestern University. “For many of them, damage probably prevails over potential advantages.”
Between the dozens of daily, moisturizers, toners and cleaners presented in videos, the average routine was six stages, costing about $ 168 – with just over $ 500 – for a product month, depending on the study.
“When you have children who wake up at 5:30 am during a school day to have enough time to superimpose these complicated diets, I think it becomes less a matter of health and more (roughly) an idea of ​​unrealistic and problematic beauty,” Hales, who is also a postdoctoral researcher in Feinberg. The results raise serious ethical questions about how the content of social media influences young people in their daily lives, she added
A spokesperson for Tiktok, noting that this type of content is “common on all media”, said that the platform is only for users aged 13 and over, and that all creators suspected of being under 13 years are deleted. In addition, they said that Tiktok is working with third -party doctors and adolescent development experts to implement safeguard policies.
Most studied skin care routines did not have a sunscreen but contained products that could increase sensitivity to the sun and the risk of skin cancer, the authors noted.
The current active ingredients found in recommended skin products were alpha hydroxy acids or AHAs, light chemical exfoliants that help eliminate the upper layers of skin cells, said Hales. Although they have the planned effect of the evening complexion and creating a younger appearance, they are known to make the skin more vulnerable to the ultraviolet sun.
“I would recommend a daily use of sunscreen for all ages and all diets, but especially for those who use them (AHAS),” said Hales. “This is a necessary step to avoid permanent skin damage.”
These AHAs, as well as the ingredients based on vitamins such as niacinamide, are also considered as potential irritants, bearing side effects such as redness and drought, in particular with overuse.
“In many cases, the girls may not have realized that they applied the same active ingredient again and again, which simply increases the risk of irritation,” said Dr. Tara Lagu, principal author of the study and auxiliary lecturer of medical medicine and social sciences in Feinberg.
More than half of the products contained perfumes – a common cause of allergic contact dermatitis – and 20 other inactive ingredients that are known, depending on the study.
“Disinformation is a big problem on social networks, but especially for these content creators under the age of 18,” said Dr Sonal Shah, certified dermatologist on the board of directors in Cleveland and director of pediatric dermatology at the Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital University Hospitals. Shah was not involved in the study.
“These are sources that may not have a scientific environment and that are not well read in science behind many of these products, how they work or what risks they wear,” said Shah, adding that there are certified dermatologists on Tiktok who could offer more credible advice.
Other trends concerning Shah have seen in its practice, but have not been mentioned in the study, include mechanical exfoliants, such as chopsticks or cleaners containing plastic microbeads, which are often too rough for the skin of the face.
The study also noted that many creators offered relevant advice for those who have a lighter complexion, which can exclude considerations of unique skin care of darker complexion while perpetuating harmful ideals of “more brilliant” skin associated with whiteness.
Shah and Hales recommend that children under the age of 18 who are not dealing with acne use a soft cleaner without active ingredients, associated with a perfume -free moisturizer and a daily mineral sunscreen.
In general, children will not benefit from anti-aging products that promise to stimulate the elasticity of the skin or eliminate fine lines, said Shah. In these young ages, collagen production is at the highest.
However, children reach puberty, they can produce more acne hormones. In these cases, Shah recommends adding an over -the -counter product with salicylic acid or a low percentage of benzoyl peroxide.
“The skin care should not be complicated and should not be very expensive,” said Shah. Parents “can speak to a certified dermatologist or a pediatric dermatologist if there are skin concerns that are important or who do not respond to over -the -counter treatment.”
In the end, if parents are concerned about their child’s skin care regime, they should talk about it, said Jennifer Harriger, professor of psychology at the University of Pepperdine who studies the development of childhood, in a statement.
“I think it is always better to have open conversations with children on the messages they see on social networks as well as their own intentions behind the purchase of specific care products,” said Harriger, who was not involved in the study.
It is also important to keep an open mind, understanding the social dimension of the beauty of young people and the content of well-being, said Hales.
“These videos show a kind of fun self -expression which is very attractive for this age group,” said Hales. “These are girls who are just starting to develop their own sense of independent identity, how they arise (themselves) in the world, their gender identity and, in many cases, which it means to be a girl in our society.”
