What's trending, explained.
What's trending, explained.
At the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) Congress 2026 in Vienna, researchers presented two studies on the skin-health consequences of viral skincare content on social media — and both findings were blunt.
In the first study, led by Dr. Maria Lucia Paysano, a dermatology resident at the Instituto de Dermatologia Prof Rubem David Azulay in Rio de Janeiro, researchers analyzed top TikTok videos promoting Korean skincare and the "glass skin" trend — the popular pursuit of a clear, smooth, deeply hydrated complexion. Using a neutral account with no viewing history to limit algorithmic bias, they screened leading videos across five related search terms and assessed 38 of them using the Global Quality Scale and a modified DISCERN instrument, both standard tools for judging health information.
Nearly 95% of the videos contained at least one potentially misleading claim. Eighty-four percent failed to account for different skin types, 45% promoted heavy combinations of active ingredients without safety guidance, and 32% promised instant results. Only one video mentioned irritation risk; only two addressed sun protection; none mentioned contact dermatitis risk; and none recommended consulting a dermatologist. Every video was rated unreliable or less reliable, and none cited an external source.
A second study presented at the same congress documented what happens when people follow these routines: 94 patients developed new or worsened skin conditions after using social-media-promoted products. The most frequently implicated ingredients were AHAs/BHAs, over-the-counter retinoids, vitamin C, and niacinamide. Irritant contact dermatitis was most common, followed by acne worsening, rosacea flares, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, and superficial chemical burns — frequently after combining more than three active ingredients at once.
The gap between popularity and quality is the core finding. Nearly 82% of the videos were made by non-physician influencers, 11% by beauty brands, and 8% by other beauty creators — none were produced by dermatologists. "What surprised us most was how consistently basic safety information was absent," Paysano said. "Our findings show a clear gap between the popularity of this content and the quality of the information provided."
The danger is structural, not individual. The algorithm rewards routines that look dramatic and promise quick transformation, but combining multiple active ingredients — acids, retinoids, vitamin C, exfoliants — without knowing how they interact is what drives the burns, flares, and barrier damage dermatologists are now seeing in clinics. Each step may be harmless alone; stacked together on unprepared skin, they can cause real harm.
It's also a misinformation problem in a space where commercial incentives are strong. Beauty brands are the second-largest source of these videos, and product recommendations in viral routines double as sales funnels. When no one in the loop is citing sources or flagging irritation risk, viewers have no way to tell an evidence-based routine from a marketing script.
Paysano and colleagues warned that following these routines without individualized guidance can lead to irritation, over-exfoliation, acne flares, and skin-barrier disruption — especially when multiple active ingredients are combined. The practical takeaway from the research is caution, not a specific product choice: if you have sensitive skin, existing conditions like rosacea or eczema, or you've had a reaction, the researchers' message is clear — consider talking to a board-certified dermatologist before adopting a multi-step routine from social media.
This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. Skincare needs vary widely by skin type and condition, which is exactly why the one-size-fits-all approach of viral routines is the problem.
For the platform, the findings add to the growing body of research on health misinformation in short-form video — and the question of whether apps that profit from beauty content carry any responsibility for what it does to users' skin.