Establishing Physician-Governed Social Media Accreditation to Combat the Spread of Misinformation by Non-Medical Skinfluencers

¹Department of Medicine, Lenox Hill Hospital, Northwell Health, New York, NY, USA

²Department of Internal Medicine, St. John’s Riverside Hospital, Yonkers, NY, USA

³Department of Medicine, Piedmont Healthcare, Macon, GA, USA

⁴Department of Medicine, HCA Florida Blake Hospital, Bradenton, FL, USA

⁵Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine, Dothan, AL, USA

⁶Department of Medicine, Memorial Healthcare System, Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

⁷Department of Dermatology, Northwell Health, New Hyde Park, NY, USA

*Corresponding author: Kelly Frasier, DO, MS, Department of Dermatology, Northwell Health, New Hyde Park, NY, United States, Phone: 3105956882, Email: [email protected]

Received Date: July 14, 2025

Publication Date: September 09, 2025

Citation: Werpachowski N, et al. (2025). Establishing Physician-Governed Social Media Accreditation to Combat the Spread of Misinformation by Non-Medical Skinfluencers. Dermis. 5(5):49.

Copyright: Werpachowski N, et al. © (2025).

ABSTRACT

Implementing physician-governed social media accreditation represents a potential strategy to address the widespread misinformation spread by non-medical skinfluencers and to restore trust in online dermatologic advice. While social media platforms serve as a primary source of skincare information for millions online, unqualified individuals lacking formal medical training can influence public health by disseminating unverified, misleading, or even harmful practices. This unchecked flow of misinformation threatens public health by promoting unsafe skincare practices and perpetuating widespread misconceptions. A well-structured physician-governed accreditation system could establish standards for content creators, ensuring that all skincare advice shared online is evidence-based, scientifically sound, and medically responsible. This literature review synthesizes existing evidence on dermatology-related misinformation and considers a physician-led accreditation system as a potential response to addressing existing gaps in digital health oversight. An accreditation model could help provide the public with clearer ways to distinguish reliable sources from misinformation, promoting safer dermatologic practices online. Furthermore, accreditation would mandate ongoing dermatologic education, disclosure regarding conflicts of interest, and the use of real-time monitoring tools to flag and correct misleading content. This proposed framework also underscores how dermatologists may strengthen their role as visible authorities in the digital space while ensuring that communication online regarding skincare and dermatology remains ethical and evidence-driven. By addressing gaps in oversight, physician-governed accreditation could protect consumers by reducing misinformation, expanding access to accurate information, and shaping standards for responsible, evidence-based dermatologic communication in the digital age.

Keywords: Dermatology, Social Media, Health Misinformation, Accreditation, Digital Health Policy