Hey Doc! – Shadowbanning Plastic Surgeons?

Social media is a lifeline for plastic surgeons to educate patients and showcase expertise, but a growing issue threatens their reach: shadow banning. In this Hey Doc! episode, hosts Dr. William P. Adams Jr. and Dr. Rod Rohrich  are joined by experts Dr. Jerry Chidester, Dr. Jason Pozner, and Dr. Charlie Riccio to tackle this digital roadblock head-on. They explore how platforms like Instagram and Meta suppress legitimate content, particularly in body and breast work, stifling board-certified surgeons’ ability to connect.

The Shadow Ban Struggle: A Real Threat to Plastic Surgeons

Shadow banning—when platforms quietly throttle content visibility without user notification—is hitting plastic surgery hard. Dr. Rohrich sets the stage: “This is becoming a real issue, basically censoring content from many plastic surgeons.” Dr. Chidester’s survey of over 100 board-certified surgeons confirms the crisis: “Almost 70% of the surgeons said… all of our content has been suppressed.” Many find their accounts “in the doghouse,” flagged by algorithms that misinterpret medical content.

Dr. Riccio, newer to practice, feels the pinch acutely: “Social media is one of the main ways we reach our patients… a large portion of my before and afters get flagged, which shadow bans my account.” The appeal process is grueling, taking days to weeks, leaving surgeons disconnected from their audience. Dr. Chidester explains how to check: “You can go into your account status on Instagram… It’ll tell you with little green check boxes.” Yet, appeals often vanish into the “ether,” with platforms like Meta unresponsive. “It’s like the Wizard of Oz… pushing buttons behind some curtain,” Dr. Rohrich laments, capturing the frustration of navigating opaque systems.

The panel notes specific triggers—images of nipples or buttock creases—but even compliant posts get flagged. Dr. Pozner pinpoints the issue: “Their algorithms are picking us up as porn instead of… real content from plastic surgeons.” This misclassification buries educational posts, undermining surgeons’ ability to inform patients about procedures like mommy makeovers.

Root Causes and Ripple Effects: Misinformation and Misguided Algorithms

Why the heavy-handed censorship? Dr. Chidester offers insight: “Meta had internal data suggesting that a lot of this type of content may result in things like body dysmorphia in young children.” While platforms aim to protect, they inadvertently amplify harm. “The majority of content… on TikTok, there’s a lot of misinformation from non-plastic surgeons,” he notes, highlighting how unqualified voices dominate while professionals are silenced.

This creates a vicious cycle. Suppressed content limits patient education, leaving room for non-experts to spread falsehoods. Dr. Chidester stresses the intent: “We just want to educate our patients… that’s the main thing we’re trying to do.” But appealing bans is a slog—“You hit a button… it goes into the vast ether,” he says, noting TikTok’s slight edge in responsiveness over Meta’s lag. The panel agrees platforms must refine algorithms to distinguish medical content from harmful material. Dr. Pozner urges collaboration: “We need to work with them internally so… we’re able to post good aesthetic content.”

Hope glimmers with platforms like X, which Dr. Rohrich notes is “not as censoring things like it was.” Dr. Chidester predicts a shift: “If it continues down this trend, we’re gonna have to look at new platforms.” X’s looser restrictions could offer a haven for unfiltered medical content, with Meta potentially following suit.

A Call for Clarity and ConnectionT

Shadow banning can be a silent barrier for plastic surgeons, stifling their mission to educate and connect. As Dr. Riccio underscores, “I can’t reach my target audience” when algorithms misfire. The solution lies in smarter AI, open dialogue with platforms, and exploring freer spaces, like X. Readers, have you noticed shadow banning? Share your thoughts in the comments, hit like, and subscribe for more Hey Doc insights. For trustworthy care, always seek board-certified surgeons—online and off.