Doctors warn: this dangerous fashion in social media is seriously affecting the health of girls as young as 7 years old

Researchers recently published the results of a study that analyzed 100 skincare beauty routines posted on TikTok. The content creators ranged in age from 18 to some as young as 7 years old, all of whose videos had on average over a million views.

They found that the regimens they were using contain a number of active ingredients that could potentially cause skin irritation, leading to the risk of users developing skin allergies and heightened sun sensitivity. However, only about a quarter included any sunscreen products.

Doctors sounding the alarm about excessive skincare regimens among young girls

The average routine reviewed in the study involved six products and cost $168 per month, but some cost over $500. Among the top 25 most-viewed routines, they contained on average 11 irritating active ingredients, with some involving as many as 21.

“They offer little to no benefit for the pediatric populations they are targeting,” the researchers concluded.

Dr. Molly Hales, a board-certified dermatologist in the department of dermatology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine told CNN that “for many of them, the harms probably outweigh any potential benefits.” The lead author of the study, published in the journal Pediatrics, noted that the majority of the young girls “had perfect, clear skin” and showed no visible signs of acne.

She expressed concern that kids are waking up incredibly early in the morning on school days so that they can apply complicated regimens of products which in her opinion is “less about health and more (about) pursuing an idea of beauty that is unrealistic and problematic.”

Increased risk of skin cancer

One of the potentially harmful active ingredients in common products content creators were recommending was alpha hydroxy acids or AHAs. This is a type of mild chemical exfoliant which removes the top layers of skin cells.

That can lead to more sun sensitivity and even increase the risk of skin cancer as the skin is more vulnerable to ultraviolet rays from the sun. Hales says that she would recommend that everyone, no matter the age or skincare routine, use sunscreen “but especially for those using these (AHAs)… It’s a necessary step to prevent permanent skin damage.”

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