Onychomycosis on YouTube: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

Abstract

<b><i>Background:</i></b> While the Internet remains a popular source of health information, YouTube may contain bias and incomplete information regarding common dermatological conditions. <b><i>Objective:</i></b> Our objective was to quantify onychomycosis treatment recommendations on YouTube. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We searched YouTube for “nail fungus,” “toenail fungus,” “onychomycosis treatment,” “onychomycosis,” and “nail fungus treatment” in separate searches. The top 30 videos meeting inclusion criteria in each search were viewed for video demographics and treatment recommendations. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Analysis was performed on 102 videos. The majority of videos (81.3%) were intended for patient education. Analyzing videos by speaker, 50.0% featured a podiatrist, 13.7% a nondermatologist physician or other medical professional, 10.8% a patient or blogger, 6.9% a dermatologist, and 2.0% a nail technician. Videos recommended FDA-approved therapies, as well as OTC products. The most recommended medical therapies included oral terbinafine and laser therapy, mentioned in 29 and 28 videos, respectively. Various natural remedies were recommended, with tea tree oil being endorsed in 23 videos. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> YouTube offers patient education on a range of treatment options for onychomycosis. We caution patients against starting treatments based on social media recommendations and encourage dermatologists to utilize social media to educate the public on common dermatological conditions.