You can’t open Instagram without seeing someone promising to fix your hormones, clear your skin, or “balance” your body. One swipe, and you’ll find a “hormone expert” blaming your fatigue on seed oils, a wellness coach warning you off sunscreen, and a smiling influencer selling “detox pearls” for your uterus. More information is great — knowledge is power, right? Not always. When it comes to modern wellness, advice is everywhere — but quantity does not equal quality.
Countless studies show that women, especially women of color, are more likely to experience medical gaslighting, leaving them seeking advice outside the traditional, established medical pathways. This is often found online through the spaces that many influencers provide for their followers. Over half of adults (55 percent) use social media for health information, and about one in six (15 percent) regularly rely on influencers for advice.
While some information comes from credible sources, much comes from creators with no credentials, offering guidance that can give women false hope or lead them to unintended harm.
Many social media platforms have introduced tools to combat misinformation, but the problem persists.
The majority of influencers (62 percent) admit they don’t verify information before sharing it, with only 17 percent attempting to assess a source’s credibility beyond popularity. Social media medical misinformation could cost lives, erode trust in healthcare, and fuel predatory marketing of unproven supplements or “cures.”
For example, a 23-year-old woman recently passed away after refusing chemotherapy because she’d been influenced online to take coffee enemas instead. The impact falls heaviest on communities already facing barriers to care.
In this digital era, information spreads like wildfire, and a viral video can dupe millions. As a breast cancer radiologist and women’s health founder, we’re often warning women about medical misinformation they might encounter on social media. Here are five of the most popular myths currently circulating platforms like Instagram and TikTok, and why they’re dangerous.
Mammograms myths
Unqualified influencers are increasingly discouraging mammograms and suggesting that early detection is unnecessary. Social media algorithms amplify the problem, sharing sensational content over facts. A viral video falsely claiming the radiation from mammograms causes cancer can reach millions, drowning out nuanced explanations from breast health experts and potentially robbing women of decades of beneficial, proven screening methods.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide, and early detection offered by mammograms dramatically decreases mortality by as much as 40 percent when performed annually starting at 40. The low dose of radiation from mammograms is well within the FDA-determined yearly limit.
Fertility fiction
One persistent myth online is that birth control causes infertility — a claim that has no scientific basis. In fact, oral contraceptives have benefits beyond family planning. They can reduce the risk of ovarian or endometrial cancer by up to 50 percent, help with painful or irregular menses, and can be used for acne, among other indications.
Unproven PCOS fixes
The same influencers who spread false claims often have a vested interest in promoting untested and unproven alternatives, further extending their possible harm. For example, last year, several influencers were exposed for peddling unproven laboratory tests, diet plans, and supplements for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), asserting they could treat the “root cause” of PCOS. But none of their assertions had been evaluated or validated in medical research. Influencers and the companies they associate with often exploit fears and known gaps in medical literature.
Suspicious sun safety
They’ve even come after one of the foundations of skincare: SPF. Some influencers are now questioning the safety of sunscreen — a product proven to reduce melanoma risk. They insist it’s toxic and promote direct exposure to sunlight or the use of natural alternatives, such as beef tallow, often with links to buy them (meaning they make a commission if you purchase). Unfortunately, this misinformation has permeated public opinion: One poll found that 1 in 7 adults under 35 thinks sunscreen is more dangerous than direct sun exposure.
Uterine and vaginal detox
Preying on fear is not the only tactic for misinformation — much of it relies on shaming women. Enter the uterine and vaginal detoxes, which suggest that women are dirty or toxic. From herbal teas to yoni pearls, alternative treatments abound, aiming to cleanse women of everything from their discharge accumulation to their natural scent. Meanwhile, the vagina is a self-cleaning environment, and synthetic products could cause irritation or infection by disrupting the body’s pH balance.
How to fact-check health information
So how do we push back against misinformation while preserving the supportive online spaces that so many women rely on? It starts with verifying our sources.
Credentials aren’t for bragging rights — they exist to demonstrate expertise. True experts rely on science-backed evidence and can explain why that evidence matters. By contrast, influencers with ulterior motives may cherry-pick data — often from unreliable sources — to fit their narrative. There are so many engaging, innovative, and entertaining content creators with hard-earned credentials creating supportive and informative spaces for their followers — seek them out.
Editor’s Note: Some of KCM’s favorites include Dr. Malik, Dr. Bayo, Dr. Tang, Dr. Boardman, Jessica Knurick, and Dr. Haver.
It’s also worth checking your own biases. If you’re hesitant about a medical screening, for instance, you may be more likely to believe content that reinforces your doubts. Ask yourself: Does this person have something to gain from your following their advice? Compare that to your healthcare provider, who usually has nothing to gain from recommending a test or treatment. Their guidance comes without strings attached.
No matter what you read online, it’s crucial to discuss health decisions with your medical team.
Social media undeniably plays an important role in modern life. But it should serve as a starting point — a way to spark conversations with your doctor about both meaningful lifestyle changes and misinformation to avoid. By approaching online health advice with curiosity and healthy skepticism, we can make social media not just more approachable — but far healthier.
Dr. Anjali Malik, a board-certified, fellowship-trained breast imaging radiologist at Washington Radiology Associates, expertly detects and diagnoses breast cancer. She passionately advocates for women’s health, leveraging social media to educate and empower patients while championing improved care on Capitol Hill.
Marissa Fayer, CEO of DeepLook Medical, leads a women’s health company dedicated to revolutionizing the detection of hard-to-find cancers in dense breasts. With a background in medtech innovation and as a women’s health advocate, she also founded Herhealth EQ, a non-profit whose mission is to drive health equity for women by providing medical devices and equipment to developing nations for women’s health issues.
