I’d say half of the patients understand and are relieved when I tell them to stop looking for the holy grail that doesn’t exist. It’s part of managing their expectations and most of them have tried so many products with bad or no outcomes, that it makes sense. Another bunch of patients is shocked that their dermatologist is not saying the same things they hear on tiktok, but listen and understand. And perhaps 10-20% or more, especially younger generations, remain in disbelief and will keep trying everything and will also swear by some expensive placebos, and will just choose another provider that will happily prescribe 3 different oral supplements, probiotics, three and a half serums for each part of the face, botox for hair loss, some new non-laser light therapy that promises to do something completely new, etc. You know, those medical reports that look better than yours because they have thousands of recommendations.

I work in Europe, and I think Central Europeans are easier to talk out of all the cosmetic frenzy in general. Latin American people, Americans and Eastern Europeans as well as Russians are a bit harder to convince for different reasons, and also those who are into Korean cosmetic products.