Even if they don’t want to admit it, the majority of people spend a good amount of time on YouTube on a daily basis. They go on the video sharing website to watch instructional videos, TV shows or a large amount of dog videos. They also go on YouTube to learn more about facial plastic surgery. A study was recently conducted by Rutgers University to evaluate the impact of YouTube videos focused on facial plastic surgery. In general, the study showed that most of the videos are misleading to the public as well as the fact that they are mainly posted for the express purpose of marketing by people that are not in the medical field.
The lead author of the study was Boris Paskhover and he is an assistant professor at Rutgers Medical School’s department of otolaryngology and specializes in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery. Paskhover worked with a team of medical students in order to evaluate over 240 videos related to facial plastic surgery on YouTube. The videos that the research team studied had a combined 160 million views. These videos were found after the research team searched such keywords as:
The study noted that millions of people visit YouTube each year for answers to facial surgery questions. However, the public needs to be aware of the fact that many of the videos do not mention the potential risk factors of any of the above procedures. The videos also fail to mention alternatives to surgery on a regular basis. When discussing the results of the study, Paskhover said the videos may simply be marketing campaigns by doctors or companies instead of being intended as fully educational videos.
While studying the videos, the research staff used the DISCERN criteria. DISCERN is known as a reliable method of assessing the quality of written information that relates to treatment choices for a health problem. The criteria for the study also included a discussion of non-surgical options for the procedures discussed in the videos, any risks associated with the treatments and also the validity of the information presented in the videos. In addition to these criteria, the research team took note of whether or not the videos were posted by healthcare professionals or by third parties.
The results of the study showed the majority of the videos observed by the research staff did not feature qualified professionals explaining the procedure. For example, 94 of the videos that were watched did not include any sort of medical professional. However, it should be noted that 72 of the videos did include board-certified surgeons. In these videos, the surgeons did provide valuable medical information which, in turn, gave the videos high DISCERN scores.
Paskhover also mentioned that the videos posted by board-certified surgeons were often used as marketing tools in that they were made to look like educational videos. He also said “Patients and physicians who use YouTube for educational purposes should be aware that these videos can present biased information, be unbalanced when evaluating risks versus benefits, and be unclear about the qualifications of the practitioner. YouTube is for marketing. The majority of the people who post these videos are trying to sell you something.”
YouTube recently started a new plan to stop its users from uploading and spreading false information during times of crisis in order to make sure the public receives accurate information. The website has become aware of the fact that it is often filled with videos, many of them containing false or misleading information, after a busy news cycle. Many website users were looking for news but they would find videos that left them misinformed. The new plan is designed to put more authoritative content in front of people.
The medical videos uploaded and residing on the Cosmetic Town website, as well as our YouTube channel are not designed to mislead or to act as infomercials for doctors. The videos, featuring board-certified doctors, are for the express purpose of educating and informing the public about the benefits and life-changing results that can be achieved through cosmetic surgery. The videos are not intended to market the services of any particular doctor. They are created to provide the necessary information for patients to be able to make an informed decision before undergoing a plastic surgery procedure.
Cosmetic Town is a plastic surgery news and information website designed to help patients make informed and educated decisions about cosmetic surgery procedures. The doctors featured on our website are board-certified and experienced in performing cosmetic surgery treatments. Schedule a consultation appointment with one of the doctors found on our website to learn more about a specific cosmetic surgery procedure.
0 Comments
Stem cell facelift is a non-surgical facial rejuvenation procedure which involves using fat enriched with stem cells to improve the look and...... Read more >
Facial rejuvenation via facelift is a cosmetic surgery that tightens and lifts aging skin on the face into a better position to provide a more...... Read more >
LiteLift℠ is a modified SMAS (deep facial tissues and muscles) facelift technique which can improve signs of aging through the lower face, jawline ...... Read more >
An endoscopic facelift is a facial procedure done through relatively small incisions to address the issue of excess fatty tissue and sagging...... Read more >
Time and gravity can be cruel. They work together to diminish the appearance of youth, and people go to just about every length to reverse the...... Read more >
