Scrolling for Symptoms: TikTok’s Health Takeover

Authored by: Nora Sheu

Art by: Grace Liu

In today’s digital era, TikTok is rapidly becoming the prominent social media platform for Gen Z in America. Viral trends flood people’s “For You Page” (FYP), encouraging them to go on juice cleanses or tape their mouths overnight to promote nose breathing [1]. Studies show that one in five Americans report turning to health influencers on TikTok before consulting their doctor [2]. As 64% of TikTok users identify as Gen Z, what does this mean for young people’s perception of healthcare [2]? Is online healthcare information reliable?  How much is myth or fact?

To answer these questions, we must first understand the mechanisms behind the rise of health content on TikTok. TikTok officially launched in 2017 and instantly attracted global popularity [3]. The social platform is currently utilized by over 150 million active users in the United States and is projected to reach 955 million users worldwide by the end of 2025 [4]. With videos ranging from 15 seconds to 10 minutes and features allowing users to watch at 2x speed, users consume tons of content: In 2023, users spent an average of 630 million hours watching TikTok videos under the hashtag #Doctors [2]. Concurrently, hashtags #HealthTok and #HealthTips amassed over 2.6 billion and 11.2 billion views, respectively [2]. This swift rise to popularity has established the platform as a vehicle for discovering and disseminating information, including health-related content. For instance, Americans first turned to TikTok for health information in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The presence and impact of health-related content has extended even beyond COVID-19 to include a vast range of topics such as cervical cancer screening, chronic pulmonary obstructive disease, mental health, and more [4]. Notably, the audience demographic primarily consuming content is young: 64% of the population that uses TikTok as a search engine identifies as Gen-Z [2]. The Gen-Z population, increasingly turning to quick forms of media consumption via TikTok, parallels the mass growth in health content, leading medical scholars and practitioners to question what will happen when social media becomes the primary source of health education. 

Examining the benefits of TikTok as a health education tool is essential to understanding TikTok’s growing influence on medical advice. A major benefit of any social media platform is access to a network of people across the country and globe, enabling users to join communities based on shared experience. Specifically, emerging health communities have brought together people with medical issues or general curiosity about their health. Support systems can also provide representation for an underrepresented medical illness or help destigmatize problematic stereotypes in the medical world – mental health, for example, is a condition that affects millions of Americans. One in five adults experiences mental illness, and among youths (aged six to 17), one in six is diagnosed with a mental health disorder [5]. Despite its prevalence, mental health carries a largely negative public perception, and the stigma surrounding mental health remains firmly entrenched in society. People with mental health illnesses may fear reproach and skepticism by healthcare professionals, so they often seek online communities to validate their struggles. Another mechanism behind TikTok’s popularity in the healthcare community is its concise video format, which allows health topics to be shared in a brief yet engaging manner. Moreover, free information is a major draw for people who can’t afford the expenses of professional medical advice. This accessibility, combined with the intimate and authentic vibe of communication, establishes TikTok as a major source for health information [4]. 

However, what potential dangers accompany TikTok’s rise in popularity? TikTok’s algorithm often prioritizes virality over accuracy by pushing health content that is biased and inaccurate for the sake of reaching people’s FYP. Studies show content from users with no medical qualifications gets almost five times more views than content from qualified individuals [2]. In addition, researchers at the University of Chicago assessed specific hashtags related to sinusitis on TikTok and found that 44% of the videos contained non-factual information [6]. Influencers without medical credentials routinely share “wellness hacks” or oversimplified explanations of complex conditions. This misinformation fuels a wave of self-diagnosis, where users listen to unqualified influencers and often worry excessively, perform incorrect treatment, or delay seeking professional care. As content consumers, TikTok influencers themselves are swayed by what they see on the platform. A SERMO survey found that 57% of U.S. physicians have changed their perception of a medication as a result of information they’ve seen on social media [2]. Hence, it becomes difficult for users to navigate the misinformation of social media and distinguish between truth and fallacy. 

TikTok has undeniably changed how Gen Z learn about health by bridging gaps in accessibility, representation, and conversation. Yet, the same platform also blurs the line between credible education and viral misinformation. As healthcare moves further into the digital age, the challenge is not to reject platforms like TikTok, but to approach them with critical awareness. The younger generation must learn to balance curiosity with caution, checking sources and seeking professional validation when needed. Ultimately, TikTok’s influence on health can be both empowering and harmful. While it can expose Gen-Z to harmful content, TikTok holds massive potential to become a leading force in positively shaping public understanding of healthcare. 

References:

1. Fangmeyer, S. K., Badger, C. D., & Thakkar, P. G. (2024). Nocturnal mouth-taping and social media: A scoping review of the evidence. American Journal of Otolaryngology, 46(1), 104545. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjoto.2024.104545

2. Everybody. (2025, March 5). TikTok’s health revolution: how the platform is shaping the future of health information. Retrieved from https://www.everybodyagency.com/en-us/insights/tiktok-healthcare-trends/ 

3. Jain, L., Velez, L., Karlapati, S., Forand, M., Kannali, R., Yousaf, R. A., Ahmed, R., Sarfraz, Z., Sutter, P. A., Tallo, C. A., & Ahmed, S. (2025). Exploring Problematic TikTok Use and Mental Health Issues: A Systematic Review of Empirical Studies. Journal of primary care & community health, 16, 21501319251327303. https://doi.org/10.1177/21501319251327303

4. Kirkpatrick, C. E., & Lawrie, L. L. (2024). TikTok as a Source of Health Information and Misinformation for Young Women in the United States: Survey Study. JMIR infodemiology, 4, e54663. https://doi.org/10.2196/54663

5. Sulaiman, A. (2020, August 17). Stigma & Bias in Healthcare: The Obstacles, Consequences and Changes Needed | WA Patient Safety. Foundation for Health Care Quality. Retrieved from https://www.qualityhealth.org/wpsc/2020/08/17/stigma-bias-in-healthcare-the-obstacles-consequences-and-changes-needed/

6. Niewijk, G. (2024, April 23). Health information on TikTok: The good, the bad and the ugly. Biological Sciences Division | The University of Chicago. Retrieved from https://biologicalsciences.uchicago.edu/news/health-information-tiktok