Trisha Torga, MD, on how social media skincare trends may be driving skin irritation in adolescents

Multi-step skincare routines popularized on social media may be doing more harm than good for adolescents, according to Trisha Torga, MD, an adolescent medicine specialist at Children's National Hospital. As increasingly younger children adopt elaborate skincare regimens designed for adults, pediatricians have an opportunity to help families distinguish evidence-based skincare from online trends.

Torga said she has observed more adolescents presenting with skin irritation associated with products promoted by influencers and social media creators.

"We are seeing an increase in atopic dermatitis and irritation of the skin in relation to all those multi-step skincare routines that these young people are doing and following online," she said.

How is social media influencing adolescent skincare?

According to Torga, social media has both benefits and drawbacks for adolescents navigating common skin concerns.

"Social media really has a mixed impact," she said. "It's good that they're seeing their peers sharing their lived experiences... but they're also seeing a lot of products that may not necessarily be helpful or necessary for their young skin."

She noted that many teens are adopting multi-step routines intended for adults rather than products developed or studied for adolescent skin.

"So the teens are using multi-step skincare routines that are not necessarily helpful or necessary for their young skin, and when they're using multiple different types of skin care ingredients and cosmeceuticals... it actually increases the chance of contact dermatitis."

Torga also expressed concern that social media often frames normal adolescent skin changes as problems requiring extensive treatment.

"The other issue is... they're addressing issues that are naturally occurring because of their age," she said. "The most common one is acne."

She noted that approximately 85% of adolescents experience acne, yet many social media posts portray it as something that should be eliminated immediately through complex skincare routines rather than managed with evidence-based therapies.

What skincare routine do most adolescents actually need?

For most adolescents without underlying dermatologic disease, Torga recommends a much simpler approach than those commonly promoted online.

"Generally, what our young people need is a gentle cleanser, a non-comedonal moisturizer, and if they need photoprotection, a sunscreen with SPF 30," she said. "That's literally what their skin would need."

She believes pediatricians should play a more active role in counseling patients and families about skincare products, particularly because many commercially available products contain ingredients that may be unnecessarily harsh for adolescent skin.

"I think this is where pediatricians are really needing to step up a little bit more," she said.

Which skincare ingredients deserve closer attention?

Torga highlighted toners as one category of products that deserves additional scrutiny.

She noted that recent market research found toners to be among the most commonly purchased skincare products for adolescents and even children aged 6 to 12 years.

Many contain alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), beta hydroxy acids (BHAs), witch hazel, and other active ingredients promoted on social media for pore tightening or anti-inflammatory effects.

Although these ingredients may have established uses in adult skincare, Torga said evidence supporting their routine use in younger skin remains limited.

"There’s currently limited evidence showing that this is effective for young skin," she said.

When reviewing the literature for acne management, however, she identified several ingredients with stronger evidence.

"We were looking at active ingredients that are found in skincare products that may actually be helpful for acne treatment," she said, citing azelaic acid and niacinamide (vitamin B3) as examples of ingredients supported by evidence for treating acne.

By contrast, ingredients such as ceramides, vitamin E, and hyaluronic acid may not be harmful but also may provide little additional benefit for many adolescents with otherwise healthy skin.

Why are clinicians seeing more atopic dermatitis?

Torga emphasized that no single skincare ingredient has been identified as the primary driver of increasing skin irritation.

Instead, she believes the cumulative use of numerous cleansers, toners, exfoliants, and other products promoted online is likely contributing to the problem.

"There's no specific combination of what would increase atopic dermatitis," she said. "But what they have seen is that the more you use, and the more compounding use... that's where the increase in atopic dermatitis is being seen."

For pediatricians, she said, these conversations provide an opportunity to normalize common adolescent skin changes, reinforce evidence-based acne care, and encourage families to prioritize simple skincare routines over complex regimens driven by social media trends.