Red-faced lies: a qualitative analysis of online misinformation and conspiracy theories in rosacea

Abstract

Abstract Rosacea is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease with a complex aetiology and major psychological impact, rendering patients susceptible to misinformation. We aimed to assess the content of rosacea-related misinformation online. A formal review of PubMed was performed, using the terms ‘rosacea’ AND ‘misinformation’ OR ‘disinformation’ OR ‘conspiracy theory’, along with informal Google searches using combinations of these terms, and further targeted searches on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Key areas of misinformation identified in the search included mislabelling of rosacea as adult acne; falsehoods about rosacea only occurring in older adults or in individuals with lightly pigmented skin; incorrect causes of rosacea such as makeup or diet; and misleading ‘cures’, some of which may lead to exacerbation of the underlying rosacea. Dermatologists must be aware of the large amount of rosacea misinformation trending online and be prepared to counteract them with evidence to optimize patient care.