Adolescent Skincare Routines on Tiktok Reguarly Contain Potentially Harmful Ingredients

A study reviewing skin care products featured on TikTok skincare videos found that many of the products contained potentially irritating ingredients such as lactic acid, niacinamide, and Vitamin E. The study, “Pediatric Skin Care Regimens on TikTok,” published in the July 2025 edition of Pediatrics (published online June 9), found that most content creators who appeared in the videos were light-skinned young girls without visible blemishes with nearly a third, 31%, age 13 or younger. This, authors said, could encourage young girls to pursue unattainable physical perfection from a young age when no skin problems are present and could lead to negative mental health consequences. The analysis found that among 100 videos created by 82 content creators, only 26.2% of those depicting morning skincare routines included products with sunscreen.  The most common active ingredient, citric acid, was found in 29% of the 260 products observed and can cause irritation. Many featured products can also cause increased sun sensitivity, potentially increasing risk of skin damage even further, the study observes. A typical regimen contained products such as toners, serums, moisturizers, and cleansers. Authors state that most of the products aimed at children without acne carry a risk of skin irritation and damage that likely outweigh any potential benefits of the active ingredients, which are primarily used for their anti-aging effects. The authors observe that the TikTok algorithm saturates the users' feed with similar videos to ones that have been engaged with previously, creating a cycle. Authors concluded that these regimens provide little benefit and may expose children to harm by potentially amplifying unattainable beauty standards and age bias while causing potential irritation, allergies and sun damage.

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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.