A US journal has hurriedly retracted an article that claims female doctors who post bikini photos are unprofessional, prompting doctors to upload pictures of themselves in swimwear in protest.

The article, published in the Journal of Vascular Surgery, created an instant furore after citing photos of doctors in “provocative” bikinis or swimwear as examples of unprofessional social media content.

According to the all-male authors, among the most common type of unsuitable behaviour on social media was holding alcohol, while “inappropriate attire” included “pictures in underwear, provocative Halloween costumes, and provocative posing in bikinis or swimwear”.

Adding to the insult, the article was based on reviews of vascular surgery registrars’ social media content by three men, including a medical student and a fellow, who created anonymous Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts as part of their research.