Patient Preferences and Perceptions Concerning Aesthetic Providers and Social Media

Background: With the rise of social media, aesthetic providers have established a presence on social media. However, there has been little research to evaluate how patients perceive these aesthetic providers and what they desire to see on their professional accounts.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the social media preferences and perceptions of patients who undergo aesthetic procedures.

Methods: A survey was sent to a random sample of US individuals; 651 (32%) identified that they underwent aesthetic procedures. Descriptive statistics were utilized to analyze participants and groups were compared with chi-square analyses.

Results: Our sample had a majority of females (57% female, 43% male). An aesthetic medical provider's social media presence had a positive impact on 41% of respondents; a minority of respondents (9%) preferred no social media presence. Fifty-five percent of respondents indicated they would prefer to see a provider with a blue checkmark. With regard to content published, 70% of respondents found it important that a provider show before and after photographs. One-third of respondents indicated they would prefer not to see personal content (n = 236, 36%).

Conclusions: A social media presence is not a strict requirement for success, but 41% of respondents reported a social media presence positively impacted their desire to see the provider as a patient. Patients preferred certain characteristics, such as verification and before and after photographs. Aesthetic providers should take care when determining what content to publish to their social accounts and should consider focusing on educational, promotional, and family/interpersonal content.