- Dr. Azadeh Shirazi shared a video Monday suggesting that a popular British TikTok creator’s skin condition didn’t ‘seem natural,’ and that she’s a ‘very talented makeup artist.’
- The doctor was chastised by hundreds of viewers, many of whom called the video medical gaslighting.
- The doctor issued a video’d apology but has since deleted it.
- A rising TikTok trend among medical providers is landing some with licensing restrictions and others with well-warranted critiques from fellow medical providers and patients.
- Dr. Shirazi provided comment for this article, in which she says the video was an honest mistake for which she sincerely apologizes.
A La Jolla, Calif. board-certified dermatologist posted a video on TikTok, Monday, Dec. 12, in which she shared unsolicited opinion on a woman’s appearance and physical condition.
The video, deleted in an aftermath of outrage, appears to question the woman’s integrity as well as whether her very real skin condition is, in fact, real.
The video comes as a growing number of providers and patients are calling out a lack of professionalism among ‘TikTok Docs.’
According to text overlays on the now-deleted video, Dr. Azadeh Shirazi (Dr. Azi) concludes “Something’s not quite right…. doesn’t seem ‘natural,’” and that the woman with the skin condition is “…a very talented make up artist.”
Azadeh has never spoken to or treated the woman.
She lives a continent away.
“I take full accountability for my video and the response it caused. I would like to sincerely apologize to Nancy…. It was truly never my intention to offend or upset anyone.”
Dr. Azadeh Shirazi, Statement to Surgical Times, Dec. 14. (Printed in full below.)
The doctor’s video came to the attention of the woman it concerned, and she responded.
“So that right there was a doctor on TikTok with 1.9 million followers basically insinuating that my skin condition is actually makeup,” says the woman denigrated by the doctor’s video.
“So that right there was a doctor on TikTok with 1.9 million followers basically insinuating that my skin condition is actually makeup….”
Ms. Nancy Morel, content creator from Milton Keynes, England.
@nancy.xoxx I don’t wish this lady any hate or negativity. I am only speaking on this because if 14 year old me saw a video like this she would crawl into her self conscious shell, luckily i have a platform where i try and share positvity about my unique condition and help people grow to be confident in themselves. i hope this lady can understand why this video is extremely upsetting considering her large following and spreading false information on situations she clearly hasnt reserched…..
♬ original sound – Nancy Morel
Ms. Nancy Morel is a 19-year-old content creator from Milton Keynes, England.
On TikTok, Morel has 1.7-million followers, with whom she shares insights into her life.
“Firstly, if it was makeup, these are all my doctor’s notes.”
Morel holds up a ring-binder containing a thick sheaf of records—“hundreds of medical documents.”
Then, she goes so far as to share excerpts from her own confidential medical records (barring her name and address), in an effort to clarify her condition for viewers.
It’s an effort she says she knows isn’t required of her, but one that’s important, given what occurred.
“I know I didn’t have to do this video to clear anything up, but I wanted to do it for my own sake, because I’m not having it.”
Ms. Nancy Morel, content creator from Milton Keynes, England.
“Because this grown woman, who is a so-called dermatologist—which she might be, but she’s very wrong in this case—seems to think I’m an incredible makeup artist, let’s show you.”
Morel now shows viewers the inside of her mouth, where makeup is obviously not applied.
“And this isn’t me trying to hate on this women at all, but if you’re going to speak so vocally on something that is so sensitive, then make sure that you’re 100 percent right,” Morel says in her response, which has since been viewed 5.3-million times.
“This dermatologist was embarrassingly wrong with what she said about you and her apology was embarrassingly wrong. And she just makes the whole community of medical professionals look bad.”
Dr. Kelly Killeen, M.D., board-certified plastic surgeon, responding on TikTok to a video of a dermatologist suggesting a woman’s skin condition was likely makeup.
Dr. Azadeh Shirazi is board-certified dermatologist who brands herself as the CEO of Lasers, and a Dermatologist/Educator.
On TikTok, she goes by the handle @skinbydrazi, and has 1.9 million followers. She owns and operates the La Jolla Dermatology & Laser Surgery Center.
In an video’d apology, the doctor says she deleted her original video “right away,” after learning of Nancy’s response to it.
The doctor’s apology has also since been deleted. Viewers say it was up for as little as 15 minutes.
Some viewers say it sounded insincere.
“As someone with a skin condition myself, I am absolutely and utterly disgusted that a medical professional, let alone a dermatologist, who is certified and specializes in skin conditions, would go as far as using their platform with over 1.9-million followers to bully another person online.”
Reagan Baylee, in a TikTok video responding to suggestions by Dr. Azi that a woman’s skin condition was likely makeup and looked unnatural.
@crescen_doe you can’t just delete everything and pretend your mistakes never happened. you’re the kind of doctor people aren’t comfortable going to. you’re insensitive and treat people like they’re lying for attention. disgusting.#apologizetonancy #bebetter @Dr. Azi ♬ original sound – Crescendo
An Honest Mistake for Which I Sincerely Apologize
Surgical Times reached out to Dr. Azi for comment. She said the video was an honest mistake, and provided the following:
“I take full accountability for my video and the response it caused. I would like to sincerely apologize to Nancy along with the public.
“It was truly never my intention to offend or upset anyone. I will make it a priority to be more aware of what I post, how it can be conveyed, as well as further educating myself on this condition so I can use my knowledge to help others even more. I hope people can understand that I made a mistake in which I am sincerely sorry for.”
Updated, Dec. 14, at 11:00 am CST: Surgical Times reached out to Dr. Azi at 3:00 am CST. We published prior to hearing from her (5:50 am), despite knowing the time constraints, due to the high profile nature of this story and our belief that we had faithfully relayed ongoing events as they were occurring, and which we stand by. At 9:00 am, Dr. Azi replied that, yes, she would like to comment as her video was “an honest mistake.” She then provided a statement, which we’ve now included in full above.