Y​​our dermatologist has a new gig as an influencer—should you swipe right or block them?

Dermatologists are now doling out skincare advice on Instagram, but are their paid partnerships rubbing us the wrong way? Let’s break it down

When beauty content creation first emerged as a business, no one ever thought that certified dermatologists would jump on the bandwagon among a slew of other professionals. The idea of medical experts getting paid to endorse products seems paradoxical, even counterproductive.

But here we are, in the social media-forward age, where your Instagram feed reflects  your professional personality, be it an artist, brand, entrepreneur and now, even a medical professional. Enter the ‘derminfluencer’: a certified expert with a penchant for reels. 

From debunking myths to breaking down active ingredients and spilling the tea on viral trends, top dermatologists and aestheticians like Dr Jaishree Sharad, Dr Madhuri Agarwal, Dr Kiran Sethi, Dr Geetika Mittal Gupta, Dr Varshini Reddy, Dr Batul Patel and many others have cracked the code for high engagement, often outpacing traditional beauty influencers. But as credibility mingles with commerce, does the ‘paid partnership’ tag pose ethical dilemmas?

The rise of derm-fluencers 

Every familiar dermatologist uses social media to the best of their capabilities to build a community through the content they’re creating. The hashtags tell the bigger story: #dermatologist and other similar terms in the category have amassed 2.3 million posts on Instagram. Today, 80 per cent of Indian consumers discover beauty brands on social media, explaining why dermatologists have become valuable for brands. 

CeraVe’s launch in India is a prime example—top dermatologists from across the country attended and documented it on Instagram, lending the brand credibility of science-backed individuals. Similarly, brands like L’Oréal, Cetaphil, Foxtale, Dr Sheth’s or Novology frequently engage with dermatologists to propagate awareness of their new active ingredients-infused products. While the dermatologist category of social media influencers doesn’t fit the bill for most beauty brands out there, a specific niche of brands continues to strengthen their relationship with dermatologists on social media as their stamp of approval brings a scientific sheen to marketing. 

What do medical guidelines say?

But here’s where it gets murky: is this expertise being diluted in the race for likes and shares? While American and European markets have clear frameworks around advertising, and medical ethics for dermatologist-influencers, the status quo in India leaves room for interpretation. “The IMC (Indian Medical Council) guidelines are clear: we as medical practitioners should not endorse any commercial products,” says celebrity dermatologist Dr Madhuri Agarwal. “We can educate people about a basic skincare routine, ingredients, and treatment modalities, but direct product promotion crosses an ethical line. If a dermatologist chooses to engage in paid collaborations, transparency about the nature of the partnership is mandatory.” She furthers, “In our country, there are still many loopholes in the laws and clarity on social media concerning medical professionals is ambiguous.”

Along the same lines, Dr Jaishree Sharad, celebrity dermatologist and author of Skin Rules, puts forth a few excerpts from the code of conduct for RMPs (registered medical practitioners). “RMPs are allowed to share educational material for the information of the general public; however, they should not directly or indirectly indulge in the practice of sharing patients’ testimonials or any other recommendations or endorsements or reviews on social media. Furthermore, any information shared by RMPs must not be misleading or deceptive, nor should it exploit the patient's vulnerability or lack of knowledge.” Going by this, a regular breach of guidelines on social media is pretty evident.  

Additionally, Sethi points out, “In the United States, the ethicality of this isn’t the controversy, it’s more about whether social media is your full-time or a significant part-time job. Are you able to provide needed patient care in a state where there’s a severe shortage of dermatologists? If we are dedicated to making reels, in addition to reducing access to doctors who now have less time, we are also reducing our experience and knowledge base by seeing fewer patients.”

The (debilitating) trust factor

There’s a lot of misinformation floating around, especially when it comes to skincare, opines beauty content creator Debasree Banerjee. “When dermatologists speak up on social media, they bring credible, science-backed insights to their audience, which is incredibly valuable,” she says. According to a study, 32 per cent of the respondents claimed to follow skincare advice from non-dermatologists, while a whopping 85 per cent would trust advice if it came from dermatologists on social media. Interestingly, 73 per cent of the respondents obtain information via social media and not through in-office consultations with dermatologists. This anomaly can be attributed to a lack of accessibility to or affordability for the latter, making authenticity and transparency paramount. However, paid promotions risk diluting that trust and credibility. 

“I believe it’s ethical as long as the information they share is genuine and the products they promote are [medically] tested and align with their professional standards. Honesty and consumer trust should always be a priority,” says Banerjee. For Shradha Mehra Virani , a lifestyle content creator and founder of a jewellery brand, having an understanding of the dermatologist is important. “Let’s face it, every product can’t be the best. If a dermatologist’s Instagram feed is saturated with paid promotions, that can be a turn-off. But, if I have known a doctor to prescribe or recommend certain products, and they’re promoting the same on Instagram, it feels organic.”

“I went to this dermatologist who is pretty famous on Instagram. The couple posts frequently, going into nuances of skincare. One would think they would be good diagnosticians. But no, they are only good at promoting products. They spent a minute looking at my skin and then prescribed medicines/ointments worth 6,000 to 7,000 rupees,” states a post by a Reddit user, highlighting that so much of what you see on social media could be perception-building that you confuse for credibility. 

Dr Geetika Mittal Gupta, a medical aesthetician and founder of ISAAC Luxe, has indulged in paid promotions in the past. Upon asking her about the ethical complexities around it, she says, “My goal has always been to make skincare less confusing and more results-driven for people. When I collaborate [with a brand], it’s to highlight products that I trust. Also, we always include clear and visible disclaimers on all sponsored content and media posts. This ensures that the nature of the collaboration is well understood by our audience, whether viewers or clients.”

On the other hand, Agarwal, Sharad, and Sethi have chosen to keep away from paid promotions. “At times, such collaborations blur the lines between genuine medical advice and paid endorsements, creating confusion, unrealistic expectations, and misguided product choices for consumers. My responsibility as a doctor—especially in a country where medical advice is often taken very seriously from authority figures—is to maintain unbiased, evidence-based practice.”

The grey area, its perks and caveats

As with anything on social media, the dermatologist-influencer debate also comes with its pros and cons. In a country like India where dermatology and skincare have only just begun going mainstream, in the past decade or so, facile availability of information and accessibility to medical professionals is definitely winsome. A majority of consumers may have the disposable income to spend on a trending product, but not enough to keep up with in-clinic visits and treatments, in which case broadcasts by dermatologists on social media do the job.

“Social media is a powerful tool that I aim to use to create awareness and educate people about skincare, skin disorders, and the right approach to aesthetic treatments. My focus is on empowering individuals with accurate, scientific, and practical information so they can make informed decisions about their skin health and treatments—from talking about the do’s and don’ts of using serums and actives to creating awareness about treatments like Botox, fillers and microneedling to shedding light on unsafe practices and trends in the beauty industry,” shares Sharad. However, there are red flags too. “If a professional promotes every trending product without regard to science or consumer needs, it may signal a lack of authenticity. Plus, simplifying complex dermatological concepts for social media could lead to misunderstandings among general consumers.” Agarwal adds, “What concerns me is the rising trend of ‘skin shopping’—where patients come to clinics demanding specific branded products they’ve seen promoted on Instagram.”

Sethi, who busts myths and shares unabashedly honest product reviews on her Instagram says, “Social media takes advantage of our group mentality to insist on its knowledge legitimacy. Thus, to learn critical thinking through the onset of reels is vital.” And for those of whom regular consultations are not financially viable, she says, “I encourage looking for dermatologists who share educational content, particularly for Indian skin concerns, rather than just product recommendations.”

“When a dermatologist or doctor speaks, it holds more validity than an influencer, given the many years of study, training, and experience involved. So if a paid collaboration exists, then doctors have to make sure that they actually believe in the product. One has to be responsible for the white coat they wear,” says Sethi. “Additionally, it’s incumbent on the consumer to identify that that collaboration financially benefits that influencer [no matter who it is] and make an informed decision accordingly,” she concludes.

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