Associations between dermatological conditions, age, and social media platform usage

Social media platforms are increasingly central to health communication, particularly in dermatology, where visual content enhances awareness and education. This study examines the associations between dermatological conditions, age demographics, and preferred social media platforms to develop effective outreach strategies. In a cross-sectional survey of 852 participants (mean age: 29.7 years; range: 19-64 years), Instagram was identified as the most widely used platform (77.9%), particularly among individuals aged 18-30 years (85%), who also considered it the richest source of skin health-related content (69.7%). Facebook (9.9%) was more popular among 31–50-year-olds, while TikTok (5.4%) was increasingly used by 18–24-year-olds. These findings highlight the need for dermatologists to adopt platform-specific strategies to increase preventive behaviors and improve health outcomes. The results also support the position of the Italian Association of Hospital Dermatologists (ADOI), which has emphasized the need to establish recommendations to ensure accurate, ethical and effective social media communication in dermatology.