How to know if you smell bad - and what you can do about it: Hygiene experts' tips on everything from the forgotten body parts you MUST clean to the fruit to eat to avoid bad breath
So, after yet another heatwave this summer and more expected before the cooler months arrive, what do you need to stay fresh and fragrant when the temperature is rising? Are we over-cleansing or under-scrubbing? Or are household habits the real culprit? We asked dermatologists, dentists and hygiene experts to sniff out the truth.
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The Sun
5 minutes ago
- The Sun
Keskine IPL Hair Removal Handset review: how I removed stubborn hairs in just FOUR weeks
SUMMER is fully upon us, bringing with it holidays abroad, trips to the beach, dips in the pool – and, of course, bare legs. I've grappled with various razors, at-home waxing kits and painful trips to the salon for years, which only leave me dreading the next time my leg hair is ripped from the root, before it grows back and I have to endure it all over again. 5 Keskine IPL Hair Removal Handset, £299 £159.20 with code THESUN20 That was until I decided to take the plunge, listen to my mates, and join the at-home IPL brigade. Instead of spending hundreds (thousands in the long run) on salon hair removal, I opted to try an at-home hair removal solution that would last — a Keskine IPL Hair Removal Handset. IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) uses a combination of targeted light and heat that is absorbed by the melanin found in hair follicles, essentially disabling and damaging them, which, in turn, stops the hair from growing back. The highly rated Keskine handset boasts an impressive 4.9-star rating from almost 4,000 reviews, and one of its most notable features is the built-in ice-cooling technology, setting it apart from competitors. This promises to soothe the skin and alleviate the biggest complaint people have about hair removal: pain. So, I put the Keskine IPL Hair Removal Handset to the test for six weeks to see what results I could achieve while the sun is still shining. Pros Cons It can feel like a big cash injection Have to remain consistent with your sessions Slightly noisy (although worth it for the cooling option) Rating: 8/10 How I tested the Keskine IPL Hair Removal Handset 5 Keskine IPL Hair Removal Handset, £299 £159.20 with code THESUN20 Keskine promises visible results within one to four weeks, with optimal results appearing between six and twelve weeks. I decided to track the effects on my hair over six weeks, assessing every week.. As part of the Sun Shopping team, I've tested a range of beauty tech, including the best LED face masks, the best Dyson dupes, and more, so I'm well-versed in what makes a product worth your pennies, even if it's at the higher end of the price spectrum. I used the product the recommended number of times: up to three times a week for the first month and then twice a week for weeks four to six. For some context, I have naturally fair and soft hair on my head, but my leg and armpit hair is thick and stubborn after years of shaving abuse, so my main goal was to see if the IPL would thin the hairs out before removing them completely. How much is the Keskine IPL? The product usually cashes in at £299, but it's currently on sale on the Keskine site for just £199. Better yet, Keskine is running an exclusive deal which gives Sun readers 20% off with the code THESUN20, bringing the total down to just £159. Who's it best for? The device works best on fairer skin tones and darker hair types and is ideal for anyone looking to save money in the long run on hair removal. What we loved: How easy it was to use, the cooling function and the five different settings available, which adjust to certain areas of the body. What we didn't: The device isn't suitable for all skin colours and hair types, and the results can vary depending on personal factors. Keskine IPL Hair Removal Handset review: The Nitty Gritty First impressions I won't lie to you, I often find myself sceptical about any at-home treatment that imitates salon visits, such as laser hair removal or at-home LED facial treatments. 5 However, always open to having my opinion changed, I unboxed the Keskine to discover a very easy-to-use handheld IPL, which came with a razor and a pair of protective sunglasses. The device itself is extremely lightweight and compact, with a lovely white and rose gold colour scheme. Its small size means you can take it on holiday with you, ensuring you never have to miss a session. Setting it up proved to be an easy task. All you need to do is clean your chosen treatment area and shave off any hair using the razor provided, before patting the area completely dry. Once you've connected the power cord to the adapter and plugged it into a power outlet, all you need to do is turn it on and choose one of the five built-in smart modes. Don't be alarmed by the loud whirring noise that comes from the device; that's just an indication that the cooling capabilities are working. You can select which part of your body you will be targeting with the IPL — face, armpit, body, bikini or beauty. Keskine IPL Hair Removal Handset, £299 £159.20 with code THESUN20 Although it'll make you look like a member of the Blues Brothers every time you use it, you will need to wear the protective sunglasses provided to shield your eyes from the effects of the light. Does it deliver? My hair has definitely become much finer and completely disappeared in places since I started using the Keskine. When speaking to friends who go for professional laser removal treatments in a salon, our results were very similar at the six-week mark. I will say that this product is best suited if you already have body hair on the finer side and definitely on the darker side. As per the Keskine colour chart, the tool is ineffective on darker skin tones and lighter hair types. 5 I found the best results were on intimate areas and my armpits, where I saw a massive improvement on darker, coarser hair. The product is very simple to use, and the cooling sensation that Keskine offers is a standout feature, contributing to a pain-free experience. The five adjustment levels are also a nice touch to reduce the pain in more sensitive areas. How much is the Keskine IPL? One thing that always used to put me off IPLs and at-home treatments was the hefty price tag that often accompanies them. However, when you compare the cost of the Keskine – usually £299 but currently on sale for £199.99 (or just £159.20 with exclusive code THESUN20) — to just one session at a popular high street therapy clinic, it suddenly feels worthwhile, especially with very similar results on offer. When compared to other IPLs, such as Braun or Philips, which offer the same level of settings and features, the Keskine IPL stands out financially, making it well worth the investment. Where to buy the Keskine IPL? The IPL can be purchased directly from the Keskine site, which often runs offers. Additionally, Keskine have provided an exclusive 20% discount code for Sun readers, bringing the price down even further to £159.20; however, you may have to act fast as the code is only valid until July 31st at midnight! There are also sign-up offers that allow 10% off across the site on your first order, as well as Clearpay being available as a payment plan, along with fast, free tracked shipping. Keskine IPL alternatives If you're looking for the same level of quality as the Keskine IPL, with cooling technologies and adjustable power settings, here are some alternatives:
Daily Mail
5 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Artificial sweetener in Diet Coke and chewing gum could trigger early puberty
Children who consume artificial sweeteners found in Diet Coke and chewing gum may be at higher risk of reaching puberty earlier, researchers have said. Commonly-used sweeteners including aspartame, which are also added to light yogurts as a sugar alternative, have long been linked to certain cancers and heart issues. But now, Taiwanese experts have found high levels of the additives could also trigger central precocious puberty where the first signs of puberty emerge far earlier than normal, typically before the age of eight in girls and nine in boys. Higher consumption of 'added sugars', meaning those above the natural content of a food or drink item, was also linked with an earlier puberty. Experts said the study, which was one of the first of its kind, showed how sweeteners had a 'surprising and powerful impact' on children's development. Previous studies have warned that starting puberty at a very young age may increase the risk of other health conditions including depression, diabetes and cancers. Dr Yang-Ching Chen, is a co-author of the study, and an expert in nutrition and health sciences at Taipei Medical University She said: 'This study is one of the first to connect modern dietary habits - specifically sweetener intake - with both genetic factors and early puberty development in a large, real-world cohort. 'It also highlights gender differences in how sweeteners affect boys and girls, adding an important layer to our understanding of individualized health risks.' In the study, the scientists assessed 1,407 Taiwanese teens, who answered diet questionnaires and took urine tests, and discovered 481 had undergone early puberty. They found the artificial sweetener sucralose showed a stronger link with early puberty in boys, while aspartame, glycyrrhizin and regular added sugars showed a stronger link in girls. Experts also found the risk was most pronounced in those who already had a genetic predisposition towards an earlier puberty. The study was presented at ENDO 2025, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in San Francisco, and has yet to be published in full. But common limitations of diet studies include the fact eating habits are often self-reported. Sucralose is made from normal sucrose table sugar but is chemically altered so the body doesn't process it as a carbohydrate, meaning that it contains no calories. It is the main ingredient in the Canderel sweetener. Glycyrrhizin, on the other hand, comes from liquorice roots and is a natural sweetener. Previous research from the same team found that some sweeteners can affect the release of puberty-related hormones. They said the chemicals were having this effect by influencing the function of cells in the brain or by altering the make-up of bacteria in the gut. Concerns about the impact artificial sweeteners, which are added a plethora of products to make them TAST sweet with fewer calories, could be having health, including its cardiovascular impact, have circulated for years. But critics highlight such studies are only observational, meaning they are unable to prove artificial sweeteners are the culprit and cannot rule out other external factors being to blame. Fears have also been raised about links between artificial sweeteners and cancer. These worries were heightened in 2023 after the World Health Organisation controversially classified the artificial sweetener aspartame, found in drinks like Diet Coke, as 'possibly carcinogenic to humans'. However, the UN agency ruled it only posed a risk to those who consumed massive amounts and that a 155lb adult could safely drink about 14 cans a day. A growing body of research also suggests that girls who go through puberty at earlier ages could be at risk for health issues later in life. One 2023 U.S. study found that girls who started their period before the age of 13 were at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and suffering strokes in adulthood than their peers who began menstruating later. Another found that girls who started their periods at early ages were at an increased risk of breast cancer. Experts have put the surge in girls starting puberty younger down to the ongoing obesity crisis, with fat cells containing hormonal properties triggering puberty at a younger age.
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Is your home a health hazard? 15 surprisingly filthy everyday items, from taps to toothbrushes
Most everyday objects are at least a little bit grimy. They rarely, if ever, make contact with soap or disinfectant – unlike your toilet seat, even though that's the one that's often used as a symbol of filth in studies of household cleanliness. Aside from pathogens that can cause disease and illness, 'for the most part, we're dealing with our own bacteria', says Jason Tetro, microbiologist and author of The Germ Code. This usually isn't a problem, especially for youngish healthy people – but, Tetro adds, 'when they accumulate, even if they are your own, it can lead to things like skin irritability, itchy scalp, cavities [in teeth from bacteria-heavy toothbrushes], that type of thing'. Does it matter that your reusable shopping bag might be carrying faecal bugs? Or that your watch strap is teeming with lifeforms? Are the studies – usually small, and sometimes conducted by cleaning-product companies – scaremongering or a grave matter of public health? Germ experts come clean. After going to the loo, or every time your hands are dirty, you touch the tap before washing them. 'If you don't have those [long lever] elbow taps like they have in hospitals, then you're going to be making your taps really gunky, and lead to the potential for cross-contamination,' says Tetro. Clean bathroom and kitchen taps regularly. In the kitchen, if you're washing your hands after handling raw meat, consider turning the tap on before you start. 'I would suggest you just keep a little stream going, and then you don't have to touch the taps until you've washed your hands properly.' Admittedly, this is wasteful, so you could also make sure you disinfect your kitchen taps afterwards. 'I'm surprised new lifeforms don't evolve in kitchen sponges,' says Chuck Gerba, professor of virology at the University of Arizona. They are prime habitats for microbes. 'They are always wet,' says Markus Egert, professor of microbiology at Hochschule Furtwangen University in Germany. 'They have a huge inner surface where a lot of microbes can grow, and you clean a lot of different stuff with them, so the microbes have a lot of nutrients to feed on. And they are rarely cleaned, so that makes them perfect. That's why there are so many microbes in it within a very short time, billions of microbes. The concentration – not the type of microbes – is similar to a human stool sample.' Studies have shown that sponges can contain harmful bacteria such as salmonella or campylobacter, which can cause severe food poisoning. For elderly people or young children, or those with a weakened immune system, this can be especially dangerous. If you do use one, you could clean it in the microwave. Wet it thoroughly, put a bit of washing-up liquid on it and microwave it for one minute, and then let it dry out well. 'This reduces the number of germs very significantly,' says Egert. But this could eventually prove counterproductive. 'The few microbes that survive probably can grow up very fast and so recolonise the sponge. If you do this several times, our hypothesis is that you select for more pathogenic, more resistant microbes than you had before. So you shouldn't do it too often.' Or preferably don't use one at all – most sponges are made of plastic and aren't biodegradable. One of the most neglected items in the kitchen, says Gerba, is the cutting board. 'People just rinse it off,' he says, 'or they'll cut raw meats and then they'll make a salad on it, and you have all those cuts and crevices from cutting that make it difficult to clean. Probably the most important thing is putting it in a dishwasher, or rinsing and scrubbing it.' 'A toothbrush is going to be mainly oral bacteria,' says Tetro. Some studies have shown a toothbrush can be home to 10m bacteria. 'But the microbiome in your mouth will change over time. If you have a lot of sugary, fatty foods, it may help change your microbiome towards bugs that are not so great, and they'll become even more populous, and then you're just spreading them in your mouth.' Give your toothbrush a clean every day. 'Run very hot water over the brush and underneath for five seconds. You should also be changing your toothbrush about once a month.' Watch out for your toothbrush holder, too, where gunk accumulates. 'All the bacteria in the toothbrush end up growing in the bottom,' says Tetro. Tetro is suspicious of anything named 'brush' that is never cleaned. 'With a hairbrush, it's going to be yeast and fungi. After you've washed your hair, using a [dirty] hairbrush may transfer it into your hair.' This could lead to dandruff, or scalp infections. It should be enough to clean your hairbrush once a month, says Tetro. Sometimes dark, always moist, with water left for hours, warming up. Add to that oral bacteria, food particles and (if you're not a regular handwasher) possibly faecal bacteria, and your water bottle becomes a banquet for germs. If you fill your bottle with protein shakes or sugary drinks, it's more like an all-you-can-eat for bacteria. One study found 20% of water bottles tested contained coliform bacteria (of faecal origin). Another study found an average water bottle had 20.8m colony-forming units – more than 40,000 times the number on a toilet seat. 'If you drink water from a swimming pool, you should expect to drink poop – but, if it's your own water bottle, probably not,' says Tetro. It's best to pour away old water, wash the bottle in hot water and washing-up liquid and, at least once a week, give it a good scrub with a (clean!) brush. Don't forget lids, straws and spouts. Your fancy smartwatch is telling you everything you need to know about your resting heart rate and sleep quality, but it is harbouring a dirty secret – it's teeming with germs. A 2023 study found that, while staphylococci were expected (they're naturally found on skin), there were relatively high rates of pseudonomas bacteria (some variants can cause infections in humans) and 60% had enteric bacteria (found in the intestine), including E coli. Rubber and cloth straps were the worst, with gold and silver straps performing well. You handle them multiple times, drop them on the floor, put them in your pocket, share them with other people, and then jam them in your ears – a warm, dark, moist place, home to your usual bacterial flora, and now the venue for a whole host of germs to party to your playlist. One study that swabbed 50 earphones identified fungi and bacteria, including E coli. Again, anything that comes into contact with human skin is expected to be loaded with bacteria, and a study on spectacles found, unsurprisingly, that nose pads and the parts that touched the ears had higher concentrations. While the bacteria detected wouldn't be a concern to healthy people, the study found about 60% of the bacteria could be risky to people with compromised immune systems. It also identified bacteria linked to eye infections. It found alcohol wipes were the best at decreasing bacterial load, but many opticians say they could damage the lenses and advise warm soapy water and a soft cloth. A 2023 food-handling study, following people who were making turkey burgers from raw meat, swabbed utensils and kitchen surfaces afterwards and found spice jars were the most frequently contaminated, with nearly half of the objects affected. Your salt and pepper shakers may also be giving you more than seasoning – a 2010 study by ABC News found shakers in restaurants were the second-dirtiest items on the table (after menus), and in a 2008 University of Virginia study, which tested objects that had been touched by cold sufferers, traces of the virus were found on all the shakers. 'Reusable bags tend to get contaminated with bacteria from raw meat and produce,' says Gerba. 'Putting them in a car trunk is like creating an incubator for the bacteria to grow in most climates.' In one of his studies where reusable grocery bags were collected from shoppers and tested, more than half contained coliform bacteria, which probably came from raw meat and other produce, and E coli was detected in 8% of bags. When the team deliberately contaminated bags with meat juices and stored them in the boot of a car for a couple of hours, the bacteria increased tenfold. 'They should be washed on a regular basis,' says Gerba. He favours cotton bags. A team from the University of Houston tested light switches, among other areas including bathroom sinks and floors, in hotel rooms and found they were significant harbourers of faecal bacteria. In another test, nearly a quarter of light switches were found to be contaminated with the cold virus an hour after someone with snotty fingers had touched them. Your TV remote might be 15 times more disgusting than your toilet seat. A survey for Churchill, the insurance company, found high levels of faecal bacteria on the remotes swabbed. Other surveys have found that between a quarter and third of people never clean their remote, a device that is touched by an average family of four an estimated 21,000 times a year. True, it's not as if you'll come out of the shower dirtier than you went in, but the curtain may be the dirtiest place in the bathroom. To use our trusty toilet-seat comparison tool, one study found shower curtains had 60 times more bacterial life. That was a laughably small study of three curtains, but it's obvious they're a danger zone – people have disgusting shower habits, such as urinating, and bacteria thrive in warm, wet places. So does mould. 'Shower curtains are disgusting,' says Tetro with a laugh. 'This is, again, one of those things where, if it's your shower, your curtain, who cares, right? But a lot of people will share the shower space. As a result, you are going to have a lot more of those human germs.' And not just from people's hands and faces, he points out. 'It's going to be coming from your whole body, which is why we really should be disinfecting those shower curtains every time we disinfect the tub or the shower stall.' You can also run the shower curtain through the washing machine every so often. You should be mindful of how clean any of your cleaning appliances are, from mouldy washing machines to stinky dishwashers. 'You should be careful when you empty the vacuum cleaner,' says Gerba. In samples of household vacuum cleaner contents, 'we found salmonella in about 10% of them. What you do is you pick up the bacteria and all this nice food for them to eat [in dust and debris], so it becomes a cafeteria for bacteria.' With a bagless cleaner, don't shake it into your bin in the kitchen – do it outside if you can).
