Men's Use of Personal Care Products, and Chemicals They Contain, Has Doubled in 20 Years

• Sarah D. Collins HealthDay Reporter
• July 26, 2023
• Full Page

Men's use of personal care products has almost doubled since 2004, exposing them to some potentially harmful chemicals, a new study commissioned by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) finds.

Overall, the average American adult uses 12 personal care products a day that...

Fluoride Toothpaste, Make Room for a New Competitor

• Sarah D. Collins HealthDay Reporter
• July 18, 2023
• Full Page

Fluoride may have found its match in preventing cavities.

New research shows that toothpaste containing hydroxyapatite, one of the main mineral components in teeth, can prevent cavities as effectively as fluoride, which has been used in toothpaste since 1956.

The...

Your Smartphone Is a Haven for Allergens

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• November 10, 2022
• Full Page

That smartphone in your hand could be triggering your allergies, a new study by an 18-year-old high school student suggests.

A science fair project by Hana Ruran, of Hopkinton, Mass., found that cellphones are often loaded with cat and dog allergens, bacteria and fungi. ...

Take Care When Handling, Storing Your Contact Lenses

• By Sydney Murphy HealthDay Reporter
• September 20, 2022
• Full Page

Contact lenses can be indispensable for those with poor vision, but if they aren't properly cleaned and stored you run the risk of serious eye infections, ...

Drills Key to Making Dental Appointments COVID-Safe

• February 7, 2022
• Full Page

The type of drill your dentist uses just might determine your chances of catching COVID-19 while in the chair.

So claims new research that suggests dentists can significantly improve patient s...

Airborne COVID Virus Drifts Outside Isolation Rooms at Home

• Robert Preidt
• February 1, 2022
• Full Page

Telling people to isolate in a bedroom when COVID-19 strikes may not be enough to keep the virus from spreading to others in the household, a new study suggests.

Airborne coronavirus particles were found both inside and outside the rooms of people with COVID-19 who were ...

The 'Oreo Test' and Other Ways to Help Kids' Oral Health

• Dennis Thompson
• February 1, 2022
• Full Page

Worried your kid isn't brushing his or her teeth properly? You might want to try the Oreo test.

"If the child eats an Oreo and brushes their teeth and the parent can still see the Oreos, they need to be checking and helping them brush," said Elise Sarvas, a clinical asso...

12 Steps to the Best Holiday Gift: Health

• December 25, 2021
• Full Page

Give yourself and your loved ones the gifts of health and safety this holiday season, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests.

The agency outlines 12 ways to do that, beginning with a reminder that washing your hands with soap and clean running water...

Men (Santa Included) Need These Facial Hair Care Tips

• December 24, 2021
• Full Page

Healthy looking facial hair starts with healthy skin -- even if you're Santa.

The American Academy of Dermatology suggests some tips to prevent dandruff,

Old Spice, Secret Antiperspirants Recalled Due to Benzene

• Robert Preidt
• November 30, 2021
• Full Page

Several Old Spice and Secret aerosol spray antiperspirants and hygiene products have been voluntarily recalled in the United States due to the presence of the cancer-causing chemical benzene, Proctor & Gamble says.

Benzene exposure can occur by inhalation, orally and thr...

Physics Shows Why 20 Seconds Is Right for Hand-Washing

• August 17, 2021
• Full Page

Twenty seconds.

That's how long you need to wash your hands to remove germs, a new physics study confirms.

Typical hand-washing guidelines -- including those from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -- advise scrubbing your hands for a minimum of 20...

Don't Linger: 'Aerosolized Droplets' Hang in the Air After Toilet Flush

• Cara Murez
• April 22, 2021
• Full Page

If you're in a public restroom, you may not want to hang around too long, because lots of airborne pathogens are hanging around, too.

Researchers from Florida Atlantic University's College of Engineering and Computer Science conducted flush tests in a public restroom wit...

Got Your COVID Vaccine? Don't Stop Being Cautious, Experts Say

• Robert Preidt
• April 5, 2021
• Full Page

Just because you've had your COVID-19 vaccination doesn't mean you can stop taking steps to protect yourself and others, experts say.

So far, only about 16% of Americans have been fully vaccinated, and on March 24, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention rep...

Have to Travel During Spring Break? Here's How to Stay Safe

• Robert Preidt
• March 30, 2021
• Full Page

If you must travel during the spring break, be sure to follow recommended COVID-19 pandemic safety measures, an emergency medicine doctor advises.

Millions of people are packing airports, while only one-quarter of the U.S. population has received at least one shot of a C...

Another Study Finds COVID Doesn't Spread in Schools With Proper Safeguards

• Robert Preidt
• March 24, 2021
• Full Page

COVID-19 transmission is rare in schools that follow precautions such as mandatory masks, social distancing and frequent hand-washing, a new study finds.

And that's true even among close school contacts of people who test positive for the new coronavirus, according to re...

Spring Cleaning Can Sweep Away Allergens From Your Home

• March 21, 2021
• Full Page

If seasonal allergies get you down, try tackling them with a good spring cleaning.

This can not only ease some of those spring symptoms, but also get rid of allergens you've been living with for a while, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology...

Assistance Dogs in Hospitals? New Study Gives Paws for Thought

• Cara Murez
• March 15, 2021
• Full Page

Could the paws of assistance dogs be cleaner than the soles of your shoes?

Yes, claims a new study that calls for allowing assistance dogs to accompany their owners in all public places.

To prove their point, Dutch researchers tested the paws of 25 assistance dogs ...

Masks Vital to Stopping COVID at Gyms, Studies Show

• Robin Foster HealthDay Reporter
• February 25, 2021
• Full Page

If you think you can safely exercise without your mask in a gym during the pandemic, two new government reports show you are mistaken.

Coronavirus outbreaks at fitness centers in Chicago and Honolulu last summer were likely the result of exercisers and instructors not we...

COVID & Elevators: A Dangerous Mix, But Here's How to Make It Safer

• Alan Mozes HealthDay Reporter
• February 17, 2021
• Full Page

As the new coronavirus vaccine rollout gathers speed, elevators will likely become a flash point for businesses hoping to reopen offices while sticking to social distancing.

And a new computer simulation suggests that the usual "first-come, first-served" elevator routine...

Health Care After COVID: A New Focus on Infectious Diseases

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• February 16, 2021
• Full Page

When New York City was the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic last spring in the United States, nearby Mount Sinai South Nassau hospital was treating more than 400 COVID-19 patients at one time, remembers Dr. Aaron Glatt.

Infectious disease experts had warned for...

Pandemic Has People Cleaning, and That Means More Asthma Attacks

• Robert Preidt
• February 16, 2021
• Full Page

The coronavirus pandemic has turned many people into clean freaks, but new research suggests that deploying all those extra household disinfectants might be triggering asthma flare-ups.

"We became concerned with increased cleaning and disinfecting related to the COVID-19...

Most Americans May Keep Wearing Masks, Distancing Even After Pandemic: Survey

• Cara Murez
• February 8, 2021
• Full Page

Wearing masks, frequent hand-washing and avoiding large crowds may not have been part of the American culture before the coronavirus pandemic began, but those habits are likely to stick around for a while, new research suggests.

A national survey from Ohio State Universi...

The Germs on Your Toothbrush Can Reveal Your Health

• Robert Preidt
• February 8, 2021
• Full Page

The microbes on your toothbrush mostly come from your mouth -- not your toilet -- and provide insight into your oral health, researchers say.

Their study was inspired by people's concerns that flushing a toilet might create a cloud of aerosol particles that end up on too...

Study Shows Young COVID Survivors Can Get Reinfected

• Alan Mozes HealthDay Reporter
• February 4, 2021
• Full Page

Being infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 is not a foolproof shield against reinfection, a small preliminary study warns.

The finding stems from tracking nearly 3,250 young U.S. Marine recruits between May and October. Of those, 189 had previously tested positiv...

Dental Practices Rebound as U.S. Dentists Look Forward to COVID Vaccine

• Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
• January 20, 2021
• Full Page

The coronavirus pandemic hit dental practices hard early in 2020, as COVID-19 fears kept millions of Americans from seeking routine oral health care.

But as dental offices have ratcheted up their safety measures, more patients have steadily been returning for checkups an...

One Big Reason Women May Be Less Prone to COVID-19

• Cara Roberts Murez
• October 21, 2020
• Full Page

One of the reasons women may be less vulnerable to COVID-19 is because they're more likely to adhere to social distancing policies, a new survey suggests.

A survey conducted in eight countries in March and April found substantial gender differences both in numbers of...

Newborns of Moms With COVID-19 Face Little Infection Risk: Study

• Steven Reinberg
• October 14, 2020
• Full Page

In some reassuring news on the coronavirus front, a new study finds that pregnant women with COVID-19 rarely infect their newborn.

That finding suggests that it may not be necessary to separate infected mothers from their infants and that moms can continue to breastf...

Your Guide to a Safe and Happy Halloween

• Robert Preidt
• October 10, 2020
• Full Page

The truly scary thing about Halloween this year is that it's occurring during a pandemic, but there are safe ways to celebrate, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says.

Suggestions include: virtual costume parties; physically distant, outdoor costume parades; H...

New Coronavirus Can Infect Your Eyes as Well as Your Lungs

• Amy Norton
• October 9, 2020
• Full Page

COVID-19 is primarily a respiratory infection, but experts have suspected the virus can also infiltrate the eyes. Now, scientists have more direct evidence of it.

The findings are based on a patient in China who developed an acute glaucoma attack soon after recoverin...

Joe Biden Tests Negative for COVID-19

• HealthDay staff
• October 2, 2020
• Full Page

Shortly after President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he and his wife, Melania, have been diagnosed with COVID-19, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden said that he and his wife, Jill, have tested negative for the coronavirus.

Both Bidens had attended ...

How One Hospital Kept COVID Transmissions at Nearly Zero

• Robert Preidt
• September 10, 2020
• Full Page

Infection control measures implemented in response to the coronavirus pandemic kept transmission of the virus to patients within a Boston hospital at nearly zero, according to a new study.

The measures at Brigham and Women's Hospital included: masking of all patients...

COVID-19 Precautions Extend to Car Seats, Seat Belts

• Robert Preidt
• September 4, 2020
• Full Page

Face masks and hand-washing are a good start, but to protect your kids from the coronavirus you'll need to up your game on the road, too, a leading pediatricians' group says.

There are a number of things parents should do to protect children from COVID-19 infection w...

Cancer Radiation Can Safely Proceed During COVID-19 Pandemic: Study

• Steven Reinberg
• August 27, 2020
• Full Page

Cancer patients who need radiation therapy shouldn't let fear of COVID-19 delay their treatment, one hospital study suggests.

Over six days in May, during the height of the pandemic in New Jersey, surfaces in the radiation oncology department at Robert Wood Johnson ...

AHA News: Need Another Reason Not to Vape? Your Oral Health Is at Risk

• August 26, 2020
• Full Page

The warnings about vaping – inhaling the vapor of electronic cigarettes – tend to focus on the potential dangers to the heart and lungs.

But an increasing amount of research shows the chemicals in e-cigarettes start to inflict damage right where they enter ...

Beware of Hand Sanitizers Containing Methanol

• Steven Reinberg
• August 7, 2020
• Full Page

The American Association of Poison Control Centers has issued a warning on hand sanitizers that contain methanol (methyl alcohol).

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has already warned that some hand sanitizers are contaminated with methanol.

Methanol...

Scientists Sniff Out the True Cause of 'BO'

• Steven Reinberg
• August 6, 2020
• Full Page

British scientists have discovered what makes people stink.

Blame an enzyme that hides in specific bacteria that colonize the human armpit.

"Solving the structure of this 'BO enzyme' has allowed us to pinpoint the molecular step inside certain bacteria th...

Skip the 'Maskne,' Not the Mask

• Steven Reinberg
• August 5, 2020
• Full Page

For most people, wearing a face mask is a harmless inconvenience, but wearing the coverings may cause skin problems for some, one dermatologist explains.

It's been called mask-acne, or "maskne."

Dermatologist Dr. Allison Truong, from Cedars-Sinai Medical Gr...

How to Counter the Anti-Mask Backlash? Empathy.

• Alan Mozes
• July 27, 2020
• Full Page

In the midst of a pandemic, many Americans still view face mask mandates as an assault on their personal freedoms, rather than a means of protecting themselves and others from COVID-19.

But a group of researchers out of Duke University say the mask backlash can be t...

Major Medical Groups Urge Americans to Wear Face Masks

• Robert Preidt
• July 6, 2020
• Full Page

Three major medical groups are urging Americans to wear face masks, wash their hands and practice social distancing as coronavirus cases continue to surge in the United States.

In an open letter to the public released Monday, the groups noted that stay-at-home order...

Should You Send Your Kid to Summer Camp? Expert Offers Advice

• Robert Preidt
• June 24, 2020
• Full Page

Summer camps are an annual ritual for millions of children, but one expert offers advice on how to determine whether it's safe to send your kids to one during the coronavirus pandemic.

First, your children need to understand the importance of regular hand-washing, ac...

Most Americans, Plus the CDC, Say Vigilance Needed Against Coronavirus

• Dennis Thompson
• June 12, 2020
• Full Page

Americans need to stay on their guard against COVID-19 even as their communities reopen, health officials warned Friday.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released two documents posing considerations that people should take into account when decidin...

There's Another Benefit to Hand-Washing During Pandemic

• Robert Preidt
• June 11, 2020
• Full Page

Washing your hands more often may do more than slow the spread of COVID-19: New research suggests it also lowers your exposure to toxic flame retardants.

How? Scientists found that halogenated flame retardants used in plastic TV cases can travel from the TV to indoor...

Worried About Catching Coronavirus From Surfaces? The City You Live in May Matter

• E.J. Mundell
• June 9, 2020
• Full Page

When someone infected with the new coronavirus talks, coughs or sneezes, tiny droplets containing virus land on surfaces nearby.

If touched by someone else, those contaminated surfaces are a means of COVID-19 transmission. But new research shows that surface-based in...

As Demand for Hand Sanitizer Soars, FDA Warns of Makers' Bogus Claims

• Robert Preidt
• April 27, 2020
• Full Page

Some companies are selling hand sanitizers with unproven claims that they'll protect you from the new coronavirus, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns.

Last week, the agency issued its first warning letter for a hand sanitizer marketed with unproven COVID-19-...

Navigating the Grocery Store Safely

• Robert Preidt
• April 27, 2020
• Full Page

Grocery shopping has become a daunting endeavor during the coronavirus pandemic, but there are things you can do to protect yourself and others, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says.

Prepare a shopping list in advance and buy just one to two weeks' worth of gro...

Do Your Keys, Phone, Money Need Disinfecting When You Return Home?

• Alan Mozes
• April 20, 2020
• Full Page

In the brave new world of COVID-19, home is your sanctuary, the one place you want to be sure is virus-free.

But if you have to head outdoors, what are the best practices for decontaminating your things when you return home? Does everything -- smartphones, wallets, m...

Paper Towels Beat Air Dryers Against Viruses, Small Study Finds

• Steven Reinberg
• April 17, 2020
• Full Page

Frequent hand-washing with soap and water is key to preventing the spread of coronavirus, but what's the best way to dry your hands afterward?

In a new, small study, British researchers found paper towels were better than the air dryers often found in public restroo...