Social Media as a Tool to Educate Plastic Surgeons on Patients' Concerns Before and After Cosmetic Breast Surgeries.

BACKGROUND

The rapid evolution of the social media platform has had a major effect on the field of medicine.

OBJECTIVE

To identify patterns, trends and patients' concerns before and after aesthetic surgeries involving breast implants, by analyzing social media posts.

METHODS

We examined comments posted on popular Israeli online public forums between January 2019 and May 2021, regarding: breast augmentation, mastopexy-augmentation and breast implant removal.

RESULTS

During the study period, 561 comments were posted on the three forums investigated: 165 pre-operative and 396 post-operative. In the pre-operative period, the main interests were implant size, type and location, as discussed in 69 posts (42%). During the first two months post-operative, questions reflected concerns regarding post-operative instructions, wound management and asymmetry: 76 (43%), 59 (34%) and 27 (16%), respectively. These topics continued to be in focus up to one year post-operative. Beyond the first post-operative year, patients' main interests were breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (25 posts, 28%), capsule formation (23 posts, 26%) and systemic effects (23 posts, 26%).

CONCLUSIONS

Social media harnessing to identify patterns, trends and patient concerns pre- and post-aesthetic breast surgeries is a novel approach. Misinformation was common, particularly in comments posted more than one year post-operative. Four topics that especially concerned patients in the immediate and late post-operative period were asymmetric results, breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma, capsule removal and systemic effects. We advise surgeon and plastic surgeon societies to issue position papers on controversial subjects, to counter the dissemination of potentially misleading information.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE V

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