Research Article

The Behavioral Inflection Point in Aesthetic Dermatology: A Global Infodemiology Study on the Impact of Generative Artificial Intelligence on Procedure Trends and Sentinel Complications

Volume: 12 Number: 1 September 30, 2026
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The Behavioral Inflection Point in Aesthetic Dermatology: A Global Infodemiology Study on the Impact of Generative Artificial Intelligence on Procedure Trends and Sentinel Complications

Abstract

Objective The global surge in minimally invasive aesthetic procedures has been paralleled by an unprecedented shift in patient digital health-seeking behaviour, catalysed by the public release of Large Language Models (LLMs) in November 2022. The infodemiological signature of this transition, particularly its impact on complication awareness and do-it-yourself (DIY) aesthetic practices remains uncharacterised at the population level. This study aimed to quantify the infodemiological impact of generative artificial intelligence (AI) adoption on patient digital search behaviour in aesthetic dermatology, comparing Pre-AI and Post-AI periods through a validated retrospective infodemiology framework. Material and Methods Relative Search Volume (RSV) data for 15 search terms across four categories were extracted from Google Trends (GT) under the "Health" category filter over an 84-month continuous time series (January 2019–December 2025). November 2022, corresponding to the global launch of ChatGPT (OpenAI, San Francisco, USA), served as the statistical cut-off, defining Pre-AI (January 2019–October 2022; n=46 months) and Post-AI (November 2022–December 2025; n=38 months) cohorts. Between-period RSV differences were assessed using the Mann-Whitney U test (SciPy library, Python Software Foundation, Wilmington, USA). Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Results Post-AI searches for core aesthetic procedures rose modestly (botox: +29.9%, p<0.001; dermal filler: +23.4%, p=0.003), yet complication-related searches exhibited a markedly disproportionate surge: "dissolve filler" +122.7% (p<0.001) and "laser burn" +54.5% (p<0.001). Among DIY terms, "hyaluron pen" searches collapsed by 66.4% (p<0.001), whereas "microneedling infection" searches increased by 753.6% (p<0.001), reflecting a delayed complication burden from prior pandemic-era DIY practices. AI-related dermatology queries virtually non-existent in the Pre-AI period exhibited logarithmic growth exceeding 1000% (p<0.001). Conclusion The launch of generative LLMs constitutes a measurable "behavioural inflection point" in aesthetic dermatology. The asymmetric surge in complication-focused searches alongside declining device- and chemical-based DIY practices represents a paradigm shift in patient information-seeking behaviour rather than simple tool substitution. Dermatologists and health authorities must assume an active role in curating LLM-mediated aesthetic complication content and developing evidence-based digital health literacy strategies for the AI era.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

None

Ethical Statement

This study was conducted exclusively using publicly available, anonymised, de-identified, and aggregated digital data obtained from the Google Trends database. As the study contains no human subjects, living tissue, or personal health information (PHI), it is exempt from Ethics Committee approval and patient informed consent in accordance with national and international guidelines. All procedures were carried out in accordance with the ethical rules and the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki.

Thanks

None

References

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  6. 6. Ali H, Qadir J, Alam T, Househ M, Shah Z. ChatGPT and large language models in healthcare: opportunities and risks. In: 2023 IEEE International Conference on Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, and Internet of Things (AIBThings). IEEE; 2023. p. 1-4.
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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Dermatology

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

September 30, 2026

Submission Date

March 25, 2026

Acceptance Date

July 3, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 12 Number: 1

APA
Şen, O. (2026). The Behavioral Inflection Point in Aesthetic Dermatology: A Global Infodemiology Study on the Impact of Generative Artificial Intelligence on Procedure Trends and Sentinel Complications. Akdeniz Tıp Dergisi, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.53394/akd.1916102
AMA
1.Şen O. The Behavioral Inflection Point in Aesthetic Dermatology: A Global Infodemiology Study on the Impact of Generative Artificial Intelligence on Procedure Trends and Sentinel Complications. Akd Med J. 2026;12(1). doi:10.53394/akd.1916102
Chicago
Şen, Orhan. 2026. “The Behavioral Inflection Point in Aesthetic Dermatology: A Global Infodemiology Study on the Impact of Generative Artificial Intelligence on Procedure Trends and Sentinel Complications”. Akdeniz Tıp Dergisi 12 (1). https://doi.org/10.53394/akd.1916102.
EndNote
Şen O (September 1, 2026) The Behavioral Inflection Point in Aesthetic Dermatology: A Global Infodemiology Study on the Impact of Generative Artificial Intelligence on Procedure Trends and Sentinel Complications. Akdeniz Tıp Dergisi 12 1
IEEE
[1]O. Şen, “The Behavioral Inflection Point in Aesthetic Dermatology: A Global Infodemiology Study on the Impact of Generative Artificial Intelligence on Procedure Trends and Sentinel Complications”, Akd Med J, vol. 12, no. 1, Sept. 2026, doi: 10.53394/akd.1916102.
ISNAD
Şen, Orhan. “The Behavioral Inflection Point in Aesthetic Dermatology: A Global Infodemiology Study on the Impact of Generative Artificial Intelligence on Procedure Trends and Sentinel Complications”. Akdeniz Tıp Dergisi 12/1 (September 1, 2026). https://doi.org/10.53394/akd.1916102.
JAMA
1.Şen O. The Behavioral Inflection Point in Aesthetic Dermatology: A Global Infodemiology Study on the Impact of Generative Artificial Intelligence on Procedure Trends and Sentinel Complications. Akd Med J. 2026;12. doi:10.53394/akd.1916102.
MLA
Şen, Orhan. “The Behavioral Inflection Point in Aesthetic Dermatology: A Global Infodemiology Study on the Impact of Generative Artificial Intelligence on Procedure Trends and Sentinel Complications”. Akdeniz Tıp Dergisi, vol. 12, no. 1, Sept. 2026, doi:10.53394/akd.1916102.
Vancouver
1.Orhan Şen. The Behavioral Inflection Point in Aesthetic Dermatology: A Global Infodemiology Study on the Impact of Generative Artificial Intelligence on Procedure Trends and Sentinel Complications. Akd Med J. 2026 Sep. 1;12(1). doi:10.53394/akd.1916102