What’s the first thing you do when you notice a skin issue? If you’re of a digitally-minded generation or have adopted online trends, you probably consult the internet before you consult a doctor or board-certified dermatologist. According to a new study from University of Colorado Cancer Center, this may not be a bad thing—and might be far more common than you think.

The study, published in the Dermatology Online Journal, reveals that popular video platform YouTube allows for researchers, journals, and health activists to have a direct connection with the public when it comes to skin cancer and prevention matters. While they’ve previously studied Twitter and Facebook similarly for their abilities to get out information to the public, YouTube is considered an emerging platform in the medical world.

Within the study, researchers used search terms related to dermatology including the following:

• •   Sun protection
• •   Skin cancer
• •   Skin cancer awareness
• •   Skin conditions

The results were quite astounding: over 100 videos with a cumulative 47 million views were uncovered, with 101,173 shares collectively. They also found that these videos drove 6,325 subscriptions to diverse YouTube user pages.

The overall point of the study was to spread social media awareness and the hope that as more medical organizations and professionals recognize the importance of using social media, more credible and factual information can be spread throughout popular discussions regarding dermatology today. The study indicated future studies of Instagram and Tumblr will be coming out soon, which we’ll be sure to relay!

At Dermatology Associates of Atlanta, we concur that social media is an unbeatable way to connect with our current and future patients on an instantaneous basis. We are daily, active members of Facebook and Twitter and also maintain Pinterest and Google+ accounts for our patients on those platforms. On our YouTube channel, we have garnered thousands of views collectively from patients interested in virtually learning about topics from hair restoration to skin cancer and CoolSculpting®.

Be sure to take into consideration where you get your information when researching topics on the internet. For guaranteed credible information, make an appointment with one of our providers today. For more updates on the latest dermatology news, please follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, and YouTube.