Lead, Toxic Chemicals Found in Synthetic Braiding Hair

Some popular synthetic hair products used for braids, twists and extensions may contain cancer-causing chemicals and high levels of lead, according to a new investigation by Consumer Reports.

The report, published Feb. 27, tested 10 synthetic hair products, including brands like Magic Fingers, Sensationnel and Shake-N-Go, which are widely ...

Bad Meetings Can Leave You With a Productivity 'Hangover'

Bad meetings don’t just waste time -- they can leave workers with a "meeting hangover," new research shows.

More than 90% of employees surveyed by the University of North Carolina at Charlotte said they sometimes experience these "hangovers" -- lingering frustration and distraction after unproductive meetings.

More than half sa...

Why Sleep Gets Harder With Age And How To Sleep Better

Tossing and turning more as you age? You’re not alone -- and experts think they know why.

Dr. Shelby Harris, a sleep psychologist in White Plains, N.Y., explained that stress, sleep structure and hormonal changes can impact sleep as people age.

"As we start to move into our 60s, 70s, you have more issues with the depth of your ...

Race-Neutral Formulas Improve Asthma Detection in Black Children

Race plays a role in whether a child is quickly and accurately diagnosed with asthma, a new study suggests.

Outdated and flawed studies previously led to the belief that white children had “naturally higher” lung function compared to other races, researchers said.

Diagnostic procedures based on that assumption have caused...

Continuous Glucose Monitors Can Overestimate Blood Sugar Levels, Study Finds

Continuous blood glucose monitors have been promoted as potentially life-changing for people with diabetes -- allowing real-time updates on blood sugar levels without the need for repeated finger pricks.

But a new small-scale study suggests these devices might not be as accurate as many believe, and could lead some to mismanage their diets...

Chemo Causes Lasting Physical Decline In Breast Cancer Survivors

Breast cancer survivors treated with chemotherapy tend to suffer a longer-lasting decline in their physical health, compared to women who receive hormone therapy or other cancer treatments.

Chemotherapy patients reported a physical decline that extended more than two years after their diagnosis with breast cancer, researchers reported Feb....

Many Americans Unaware Of Links Between HPV And Cancers

Many Americans remain unaware of the cancer risk for both men and women posed by human papillomavirus (HPV), a new Ohio State University poll has found.

Most people don’t know much about HPV and its long-term cancer risks, and also have key misperceptions about how the virus is spread, the poll found.

For example, the majority ...

Coaches Are Abusive To 1 In 5 NCAA Athletes, Survey Finds

Yelling. Taunts. Insults. Harsh words. Physical violence.

About 1 in 5 college athletes receive such abuse from their coaches, researchers report.

Overall, nearly 19% of more than 3,300 athletes on National College Athletic Association (NCAA) teams said they’d experienced abusive supervision from their coach.

Athletes in ...

Obesity On The Rise Worldwide, Report Says

More than half of adults and a third of children and teens worldwide will be overweight or obese by 2050, a comprehensive global analysis has concluded.

Overweight and obesity rates in adults, children and teens more than doubled over the past three decades, afflicting 2.1 billion adults and 493 million young people with excess weight, res...

Longtime NIH Leader Francis Collins Retires

Dr. Francis Collins, the famed geneticist who led the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for 12 years and helped guide the U.S. through the COVID pandemic, has stepped down.

Collins, who's 74, announced his retirement over the weekend, praising the NIH staff in a parting statement while offering what appeared to be a message to the Trump ...

Electric Vehicle Fires May Raise Cancer Risk for Communities

As electric vehicles (EVs) become more common on roads, they bring new health concerns for firefighters and the community, new research shows.

Researchers at the University of Miami's Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center found that EV fires expose firefighters, vehicle owners and community residents to dangerous, heavy metals.

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Duke Doctors Perform First Living Mitral Valve Transplant

In a groundbreaking series of surgeries, doctors at Duke Health have successfully performed the world’s first living mitral valve replacement, saving the lives of three young girls across North Carolina.

The procedure became possible after 11-year-old Journi Kelly, from Wilson, N.C., received a full heart transplant at Duke. 

Exercise Boosts Mental Health Of Women With Chronic Pelvic Pain

Physical activity can improve the mental well-being of women living with chronic pelvic pain disorders like endometriosis and uterine fibroids, a new study says.

Activities like brisk walking or aerobic exercise caused measurable improvements in women with pelvic pain, researchers reported in the Journal of Pain Research.

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Patients Devastated When Docs Dismiss Autoimmune Ailments As Psychosomatic

MONDAY, March 3, 2025 -- A patient with multiple autoimmune diseases can remember the exact moment a doctor tore their heart out.

“One doctor told me I was making myself feel pain, and I still can’t forget those words,” the patient remembered. “Telling me I’m doing it to myself has made me very anxious and dep...

Death Risk Doubled For ER Patients On Psychedelics

People who land in the ER after using hallucinogens are more than twice as likely to die in a handful of years, a new study says.

Psychedelics users treated at a hospital are 2.6 times more likely than average folks to die from any cause within five years, researchers reported in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

The...

Instagram, TikTok Feature "Overwhelmingly" Misleading Medical Info

Heard the latest on social media about testosterone testing, full-body MRI scans, “egg timer” female fertility tests or gut microbiome analysis?

If so, you’ve more than likely been exposed to misinformation, a new study suggests.

Analysis of nearly 1,000 Instagram and TikTok posts on five controversial medical scree...

Injectable Drug Resolves Dangerous Food Allergies In One-Third Of Kids

More than a third of food-allergic kids were able to eat full servings of their trigger foods after treatment with an injectable asthma drug, new clinical trial findings report.

In all, 36% of children treated with omalizumab (Xolair) for a year successfully ate full servings of allergy-triggering foods, according to phase 2 trial results ...

Seniors Overlooked By Suicide Prevention Programs

Suicide prevention campaigns are overlooking seniors, even though people 75 and older have the highest rates of suicide for any age group, a new study says.

None of the seven most prominent suicide prevention programs include any messaging aimed at at-risk seniors on their web sites.

Older adults are ignored even though five of the p...

How To Talk to Your Child About a Cancer Diagnosis

Learning that your child has cancer is overwhelming, and talking to them about it can feel just as difficult. 

But experts stress that open and honest communication is key to helping children cope with their diagnosis and treatment.

It may feel natural to shield your child from difficult news, but withholding information can cre...

How to Treat Spring Allergies: A Graduated Approach

Spring brings warmer weather, but for allergy sufferers, it also means sneezing, wheezing and itchy eyes. Instead of enjoying the season, you may be battling congestion and brain fog. So, what can you do to manage your spring allergy symptoms? 

Spring allergy treatments range from simple lifestyle changes to more advanced medical inte...