Have you heard of HealthTok? Learn about the latest viral trend in healthcare.

There’s a new trend on the rise, and it’s whipping up a flurry of excitement (and views!). TikTok users across the globe are accessing their health information through the platform, which has given rise to HealthTok. 

Maybe you’ve heard curious whispers of all-hailed acne solutions, unconventional cold and flu remedies or doctor-driven debunking videos. HealthTok has developed into a global resource where you can connect with healthcare professionals from all over the world.

The sheer popularity of HealthTok may astound you. On average, people spend 42 hours and 13 minutes each month on the platform  – more than double the time on any other social media platform¹! 

Whether you’re curious to check out HealthTok for the first time or you’re an experienced user, read on to learn more about the viral health trends on TikTok and how to navigate the platform safely.

Who is using TikTok?

As it turns out, far more people than you may have thought are TikTok users – 9.73 million Australians, to be exact¹!

Despite being a hugely popular platform, TikTok – like many social media services – tends to be a younger person’s game. Most Australian TikTok users (52.7%) are 18–24 years of age, with usage decreasing with age². Only 5.7% of TikTok users are 55+ years of age².

Popularity aside, TikTok marks one of the biggest revolutions in social media history – namely, that social media is evolving into a multi-purpose platform.

• Looking to connect with your friends? They’re on it too.
• Seeking some entertainment to brighten your day? There’s an endless stream of funny videos out there.
• Have a question that needs answering? You can find a TikTok ‘expert’ to tell you exactly what you want to know.
• Unsure what that new symptom is? There’s a doctor for that too.

For many people, TikTok has grown into a one-stop shop for their digital needs. But can it be trusted? 

Delights, duds or damaging? Breaking down HealthTok trends

Although 87% of millennials and Gen Z users seek nutrition and health information from HealthTok, the videos can be misleading³. A recent study analysed nutrition content on TikTok and identified that only 2.1% of nutrition information was accurate³!

With this in mind, let’s put some of HealthTok’s viral content under the microscope.

Cozy-cardio

What is it? A fitness movement where you ditch the stress of going to the gym for an exercise routine that is comfortable and feels good.

Pros:

• Encourages a healthy relationship with exercise
• Is a source of relatable content
• Fosters a feeling of community

Cons:

• Is based on anecdotal suggestions that do not account for specific physical needs or potential injuries and may not be the best fit for everyone

TherapyTok

What is it? Mental health information produced by both qualified healthcare professionals and unqualified users.

Pros:

• At its best, it can be a source of free mental health information
• May offer comfort through shared experiences and community

Cons:

• Has contributed to an unchecked spread of mental health misinformation, with 83.7% of mental health content on TikTok deemed misleading. On top of this, only 9% of mental health content creators on TikTok have appropriate qualifications⁴
• Increases the risk of self-diagnosis rather than encouraging people to seek expert opinion and care from a qualified healthcare professional
• May be harmful for those with serious mental health conditions

Nutrition advice fads

What is it? Frequent and fleeting health advice trends – for example, consuming liquid chlorophyll to help treat acne. 

Pros:

• May increase awareness of broader health and lifestyle choices

Cons:

• May be a source of health misinformation
• Often lacks scientific evidence
• Influencers producing content on the fad may have undisclosed conflicts of interest, such as brand-sponsored content and paid advertising

Bed rotting

What is it? Content about users staying in bed all day, as a self-care initiative.

Pros:

• At its best, it may increase awareness of the importance of rest
• May help people give themselves permission to unwind for their wellbeing

Cons:

• Offers potentially harmful and misleading mental health information that is not supported by qualified healthcare professionals
• Can exacerbate existing mental health issues – for example, if a person has depression, lying in bed for the day may worsen their symptoms

Questions I get asked as a doctor

What is it? A qualified doctor answers the common questions they receive from their patients. 

Pros:

• Free, generally trustworthy healthcare information
• Qualified and experienced professionals can provide education and counter misinformation
• Can increase access to niche health knowledge which may otherwise be scarce – for example, education and awareness about rare conditions

Cons:

• Users may need to filter through hefty amounts of content and false information to find these videos

Healthcare professionals are breaking through the noise on TikTok

As HealthTok grows into a wellspring of healthcare information, so do the expectations of the platform.

Recently, researchers analysed the quality of medical content on TikTok specific to men’s health. They discovered that only 10.3% of TikTok videos were created by healthcare professionals, and that this content was significantly more accurate than non-healthcare practitioner content⁵.

It has also been found that 89% of TikTok users believe social media influencers contribute to health misinformation, causing 75% of users to fact-check endorsements made by influencers⁶.

Fortunately, many medical experts are adapting their practice to meet the digital demand for healthcare content by creating bite-sized, trustworthy videos that users are calling for ­– and in doing so, creating a safer, more reliable HealthTok environment.

Check out some of TikTok’s more popular healthcare experts below:

• Doctor Michael – a GP who debunks health misinformation
• Doctor Mike – a GP who creates a wide range of medical content
• Doctor Shah – a dermatologist who provides education on skin health
• Doctor Joyce – a dermatologist who shares skincare tips and busts myths
• Doctor Julie – a psychologist who shares insights from therapy
• Doctor Sood – a pain medicine specialist who provides information about pain management.

Using HealthTok safely

Before you dive into HealthTok, here are some tips to help you navigate the platform safely.

• Check the creator’s verification, credentials and experience
  • Look for a blue tick verified badge, which confirms that the creator is who they claim to be
  • Check the creator’s name and bio for their credentials and experience; typical medical qualifications are written as MD or MBBS; however, specialised doctors may include additional qualifications
  • Search the creator online or check their Linktree for corroborating information such as a LinkedIn profile, a medical practice website, university or hospital affiliations, and news articles or research publications
• Be wary of emotive, anecdotal content or influencer endorsements – this information is usually not credible
• Look for disclosures and paid promotions (users are required to disclose this on TikTok)
• Speak up and report misleading or concerning content
  • Tap the share button on the video and select the ‘report’ option
  • TikTok guidelines regulate the creation of some topic areas such as alcohol, disordered eating, and suicide and self-harm, but TikTok does not regulate broader health and wellness content – this is controlled by the healthcare advertising regulations of the country you are in 
• Fact-check the information you receive with evidence-based resources. Some trustworthy sites include:
  • https://healthfacts.ie/
  • https://thatsaclaim.org/health/
  • https://trustortrash.org/
  • https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/
  • https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/
  • https://medlineplus.gov/
  • https://www.nps.org.au/
• Talk to your doctor and stay up to date with your routine health checks – this is one of the best ways to prevent health issues

There’s no denying that TikTok has played a role in making health education more accessible (and entertaining) than ever before. But if you choose to try out this new digital medium, don’t get caught up in the hype! Choose credibility and community over influencer celebrity. And most importantly, remember that there is no substitute for the care of your doctor. HealthTok is a tool to use along with (not instead of) healthcare practitioners.

References

1. Datareportal, ‘Digital 2024: Australia’, 2024.
2. Start.io, ‘Tiktok users in Australia’, 2024.
3. PR Newswire, ‘Concerning New Statistics Highlight Inaccurate Nutrition Trends on TikTok’, 2024.
4. PlushCare, ‘How Accurate is Mental Health Advice on TikTok?’, 2022.
5. Dubin J, Aguiar J, Lin J, Greenberg D, Keeter M, Fantus R, Pham M, Hudnall M, Bennett N, Brannigan R, Halpern J. ‘The broad reach and inaccuracy of men’s health information on social media: analysis of TikTok and Instagram’, Int J Impot Res, 36:256–260, 2024: doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41443-022-00645-6.
6. Charity Rx, ‘The Shifting Role of Influence and Authority in the Rx Drug & Health Supplement Market’, 2022.