Latest news with #DrMollyHales
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
'Sephora kids' are using anti-aging creams. A new study says harms aren't just skin deep
If you've recently witnessed a 10-year-old smear their face with an $80 anti-wrinkle cream — either in real life or in any number of "Get Ready With Me" TikTok videos — you're probably already aware of the "Sephora kids" skin-care trend that has young people clamouring for anti-aging products thanks in part to what they see on social media. Now, a new study published in Pediatrics this month, the first peer-reviewed paper of its kind, found that skin-care solutions promoted on TikTok not only offer little to no benefit for children and teens, but they can actually be harmful. And the risks go beyond skin damage (although, there is that, too), the authors note. "It's problematic to show girls devoting this much time and attention to their skin," corresponding author Dr. Molly Hales, a postdoctoral research fellow and dermatologist in the department of dermatology at Chicago's Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, said in a news release. "We're setting a very high standard for these girls. The pursuit of health has become a kind of virtue in our society, but the ideal of 'health' is also very wrapped up in ideals of beauty, thinness and whiteness." The authors in the study analyzed 100 unique videos by content creators between the ages of seven and 18, with an average 1.1 million views each. On average, each regimen featured six products, totalling about $230 Cdn. On the higher end of the scale, some of the girls used more than a dozen products on their faces, the authors said. WATCH | Explaining the 'Sephora kids' trend: They found that only a quarter of the skin-care routines included sunscreen use, the most popular videos contained an average of 11 irritating active ingredients for young skin (such as hydroxy acids) and the content creators often layered multiple active ingredients or the same one over and over in multiple products. In one video, the authors say, one girl applied 10 different products on her face in 10 minutes. The videos also sometimes had racially encoded language that emphasized "lighter brighter skin," the authors noted. The problem with 'Sephora kids' The "Sephora kids" trend, where children as young as eight or nine use anti-aging skin-care products purchased from beauty retailers such as Sephora, started rising in popularity last year — and so have attempts to stop it. In California, for example, Alex Lee, a member of the State Assembly, has been pushing a bill that would ban the sale of anti-aging products that contain potent and harsh ingredients to kids under the age of 18. In May, CBS reported that the bill quietly died without a vote. And last December, Quebec's Order of Chemists published a warning that some skin-care products designed for adults and popularized on social media should be avoided by children because the active ingredients can be harmful to young skin. The products often contain strong active ingredients that young skin isn't properly equipped to handle, said Dr. Julia Carroll, a dermatologist and lecturer at the University of Toronto, who was not involved in the current study. WATCH | Quebec chemists warn about skin-care products and tweens: Younger skin is typically more sensitive, so ingredients like alpha-hydroxy acids and retinoids can cause irritation, drying, peeling and dermatitis, Carroll told CBC News. "It can actually sensitize their skin and give them a lifelong allergy to an ingredient," she said. The trend also creates a dependency where kids think they need a 10-step routine, Carroll added, "when really they just need a gentle cleanser, a moisturizer and a sunscreen." Gen Alpha drives sales Canadians spent almost $9 billion US on beauty and personal-care products in 2024. According to Statistics Canada, households started spending "substantially" more on personal care after the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing by 30 per cent in 2023 compared with 2021. Meanwhile, Generation Alpha continues to drive skin-care sales in the United States, according to recent Nielsen data. A global Mintel marketing intelligence report this year noted that this digital-first generation also has spending power projected to reach $5.5 trillion US by 2029, when the oldest of the cohort will be 19 years old. Members of Gen Alpha, who were born roughly between 2010 and 2024, see beauty influencers and their routines as sources of inspiration, the Mintel report says. "However, this acceleration into adult-oriented skin care often results in routines that prioritize appearance over health — a gap that the beauty industry must address," it adds. For now on TikTok, where there are some 18.3 million "Get Ready With Me" videos, Gen Alpha influencers show off their skin-care routines and "hauls" on videos with millions of views and comments. In the Pediatrics journal study, the authors found that these products tend to be marketed heavily to younger consumers. They also expressed concern that it's "nearly impossible" for parents and pediatricians to track exactly what children or adolescents are viewing. "We're seeing kids as young as eight or nine who are using anti-aging ingredients they picked up on TikTok," Carroll said. "You're setting kids up for an unrealistic beauty standard that isn't really appropriate for an eight-year-old, nine-year-old, 10-year-old. They already have usually pretty perfect skin, so to set them down that road that early can be quite harmful." LISTEN | How do cosmetics affect my skin health?:
CBC
2 days ago
- Health
- CBC
'Sephora kids' are using anti-aging creams. A new study says harms aren't just skin deep
If you've recently witnessed a 10-year-old smear their face with an $80 anti-wrinkle cream — either in real life or in any number of "Get Ready With Me" TikTok videos — you're probably already aware of the "Sephora kids" skin-care trend that has young people clamouring for anti-aging products thanks in part to what they see on social media. Now, a new study published in Pediatrics this month, the first peer-reviewed paper of its kind, found that skin-care solutions promoted on TikTok not only offer little to no benefit for children and teens, but they can actually be harmful. And the risks go beyond skin damage (although, there is that, too), the authors note. "It's problematic to show girls devoting this much time and attention to their skin," corresponding author Dr. Molly Hales, a postdoctoral research fellow and dermatologist in the department of dermatology at Chicago's Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, said in a news release. "We're setting a very high standard for these girls. The pursuit of health has become a kind of virtue in our society, but the ideal of 'health' is also very wrapped up in ideals of beauty, thinness and whiteness." The authors in the study analyzed 100 unique videos by content creators between the ages of seven and 18, with an average 1.1 million views each. On average, each regimen featured six products, totalling about $230 Cdn. On the higher end of the scale, some of the girls used more than a dozen products on their faces, the authors said. WATCH | Explaining the 'Sephora kids' trend: Breaking down the 'Sephora kids' trend 1 year ago Duration 8:18 Social media is abuzz about the number of tweens obsessed with makeup and skin care in a trend dubbed 'Sephora Kids.' CBC's Anya Zoledziowski explains how they're getting hooked and why experts have mixed opinions on whether we should be worried about it. They found that only a quarter of the skin-care routines included sunscreen use, the most popular videos contained an average of 11 irritating active ingredients for young skin (such as hydroxy acids) and the content creators often layered multiple active ingredients or the same one over and over in multiple products. In one video, the authors say, one girl applied 10 different products on her face in 10 minutes. The videos also sometimes had racially encoded language that emphasized "lighter brighter skin," the authors noted. The problem with 'Sephora kids' The "Sephora kids" trend, where children as young as eight or nine use anti-aging skin-care products purchased from beauty retailers such as Sephora, started rising in popularity last year — and so have attempts to stop it. In California, for example, Alex Lee, a member of the State Assembly, has been pushing a bill that would ban the sale of anti-aging products that contain potent and harsh ingredients to kids under the age of 18. In May, CBS reported that the bill quietly died without a vote. And last December, Quebec's Order of Chemists published a warning that some skin-care products designed for adults and popularized on social media should be avoided by children because the active ingredients can be harmful to young skin. The products often contain strong active ingredients that young skin isn't properly equipped to handle, said Dr. Julia Carroll, a dermatologist and lecturer at the University of Toronto, who was not involved in the current study. WATCH | Quebec chemists warn about skin-care products and tweens: Quebec chemists warn about children using certain skin-care products 7 months ago Duration 2:02 Quebec's Order of Chemists is warning that some skin-care products, designed for adults and popularized on social media, should be avoided by children because the active ingredients can be harmful to young skin. Younger skin is typically more sensitive, so ingredients like alpha-hydroxy acids and retinoids can cause irritation, drying, peeling and dermatitis, Carroll told CBC News. "It can actually sensitize their skin and give them a lifelong allergy to an ingredient," she said. The trend also creates a dependency where kids think they need a 10-step routine, Carroll added, "when really they just need a gentle cleanser, a moisturizer and a sunscreen." Gen Alpha drives sales Canadians spent almost $9 billion US on beauty and personal-care products in 2024. According to Statistics Canada, households started spending "substantially" more on personal care after the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing by 30 per cent in 2023 compared with 2021. Meanwhile, Generation Alpha continues to drive skin-care sales in the United States, according to recent Nielsen data. A global Mintel marketing intelligence report this year noted that this digital-first generation also has spending power projected to reach $5.5 trillion US by 2029, when the oldest of the cohort will be 19 years old. Members of Gen Alpha, who were born roughly between 2010 and 2024, see beauty influencers and their routines as sources of inspiration, the Mintel report says. "However, this acceleration into adult-oriented skin care often results in routines that prioritize appearance over health — a gap that the beauty industry must address," it adds. For now on TikTok, where there are some 18.3 million "Get Ready With Me" videos, Gen Alpha influencers show off their skin-care routines and "hauls" on videos with millions of views and comments. In the Pediatrics journal study, the authors found that these products tend to be marketed heavily to younger consumers. They also expressed concern that it's "nearly impossible" for parents and pediatricians to track exactly what children or adolescents are viewing. "We're seeing kids as young as eight or nine who are using anti-aging ingredients they picked up on TikTok," Carroll said. "You're setting kids up for an unrealistic beauty standard that isn't really appropriate for an eight-year-old, nine-year-old, 10-year-old. They already have usually pretty perfect skin, so to set them down that road that early can be quite harmful."
News.com.au
11-06-2025
- Health
- News.com.au
Doctors' warning about ‘insidious' social media trend
It's no secret that young girls are obsessed with beauty — just look at the popularity of 'get ready with me' videos on social media. In a survey last year, more than three in four parents reported that their seven to 17-year-old girls have a 'skin care routine'. A groundbreaking new study out of Northwestern University warned that these girls are shelling out a lot of money for skin care that may cause redness and not protect them from the sun's harmful rays, New York Post reported. 'It's problematic to show girls devoting this much time and attention to their skin,' said corresponding study author Dr. Molly Hales, a postdoctoral research fellow and a board-certified dermatologist at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. For this study, Hales and another researcher created their own TikTok accounts under the guise that they were 13. They collected 100 unique videos suggested in the 'For You' tab. They analysed the demographics of content creators, the products used and the total cost of routines, finding that girls 7 to 18 are applying an average of six facial products at once. Some girls use more than a dozen. Researchers estimated that these kids fork out an average of $A257 for about a month's worth of products. In the jaw-dropping cases, they are spending more than $A765. The products in the top viewed videos contained 11 active ingredients on average. In one clip, a creator rubbed 10 products on her face in six minutes. 'As she's applying the products, she begins to express discomfort and burning, and in the final few minutes, she develops a visible skin reaction,' said senior study author Dr. Tara Lagu, an adjunct lecturer of medicine and medical social sciences at Feinberg. Hales noted that the irritation stems from using products with clashing active ingredients, as well as applying the same active ingredient over and over again, not knowing it's in several products. Girls also face the risk of sun sensitivity and a skin allergy known as allergic contact dermatitis, which causes a rash. Only 26 per cent of daytime skin care regimens included sunscreen, the Northwestern study found, even though it's key to preventing skin cancer. The research — billed as the first peer-reviewed study to explore the pros and cons of teen skin care routines shared on social media — was published Monday in the journal Pediatrics. Beyond the health risks, mental distress is also a concern. Beauty videos on social media can contribute to lower self-esteem and pressure to conform to unrealistic beauty standards. Lagu noted that many videos 'emphasised lighter, brighter skin.' 'We're setting a very high standard for these girls,' Hales said. 'The pursuit of health has become a kind of virtue in our society, but the ideal of 'health' is also very wrapped up in ideals of beauty, thinness and whiteness,' she added. 'The insidious thing about 'skincare' is that it claims to be about health.' TikTok is only for users 13 and older, a rep reminded CNN, and creators who are too young are removed from the platform. The company also works with third-party adolescent development experts and doctors to establish safeguarding policies, the spokesperson added.
The Guardian
09-06-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Teenage girls' TikTok skincare regimes offer little to no benefit, research shows
Skincare regimes demonstrated by young influencers on TikTok offer little to no benefit, researchers have found, adding that on the contrary they raise the risk of skin irritations and lifelong allergies in children. The team behind the study say there has been a rise in young girls sharing videos of complex skincare routines with moisturisers, toners, acne treatments and anti-ageing products. In the first study of its kind, researchers analysed such videos on the plaftorm and found the regimes are not only laborious – some girls wake up as early as 4.30am to fit in their routines – but pricey, unnecessary and potentially harmful. 'The risks associated with using these products, especially in young girls, far outweighs whatever marginal benefit you may get from using the active ingredients,' said Dr Molly Hales, the first author of the research from Northwestern University. Hales added that while social media can be a place for playfulness and self-expression, young girls do not need such regimes. 'The danger is when girls get the message that this is something that they have to do to take care of their skin and to protect their health,' she said. 'These products don't increase the health of your skin and they probably worsen your skin integrity over time.' Instead she said a gentle cleanser once or twice a day and the application of sunscreen is sufficient. Writing in the journal Paediatrics, Hales and colleagues report how they created two TikTok accounts, purportedly for 13-year-olds and, and accumulated a sample of 100 skincare routines videos filmed by young people. The team found all but one of the 82 creators were girls, and their age ranged from seven to 18 years old. 'Almost all content creators had clear, light skin without visible blemishes,' the researchers write, adding the videos 'made frequent reference to aspirational beauty ideals that may be tied to whiteness'. The study reveals the skincare regimes involved six products on average, often from the same brands, with a total average cost of $168 (£124). However, some involved more than a dozen products with a total cost of more than $500 (£369). 'Get Ready With Me' videos were the most common, followed by 'Skin Care Routine' and 'After School' skincare routine videos. The team found many of the ingredients in the featured products, such as citric acid, carry a risk of skin irritation and sun sensitivity – meaning they increase the chance of sunburn and other skin damage. Yet only 26% of the 84 videos showing daytime skincare routines included a sunscreen – something that authors called 'a significant missed opportunity'. Hales added the use of products with multiple active ingredients, or layering products with the same active ingredients, increases the risk of skin irritation. The researchers found that among the 25 top-viewed videos, 76% contained at least one potential contact allergen – often fragrance. Prof Tess McPherson of the British Association of Dermatologists, who was not involved in the work, said the study was important, backing up anecdotal reports of an increase in young people attending clinics with skin irritation. 'We're certainly seeing a huge increase in people wanting something they call perfect or flawless skin, which we know is unachievable [and] unhelpful – it doesn't make people happy,' she said. McPherson added she is aware of young people asking for birthday money to put towards expensive skincare products, many of which are now being targeted at young girls through appealing packaging. As well as the risks highlighted by the study, McPherson said the skincare videos contribute to an increase in stigma around conditions such as acne and eczema as well as a fear of ageing, a message she said was reinforced by women embracing Botox and fillers. 'Younger and younger children are seeking skincare products when they don't need them, they're not helpful,' she said. 'This is a very concerning statement on society and how we view how skin should look.'
