EXCLUSIVE Doctors issue urgent warning over 13 common meds that could cause deadly side effects during heatwave
Dr Nicholas Dragolea, the founder of UK-based My Longevity Centre, pinpoints 13 types of drugs taken by millions across the country, which could have devastating consequences when combined with temperatures exceeding 86 F.
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The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
‘Swamp crotch' is setting off airport security scanners – GP reveals who's at risk and how to avoid the 'embarrassment'
GOING through airport security is stressful at the best of times. Now, travellers claim they're being patted down as their "swamp crotch" is setting off security scanners. A woman flying for the first time in 15 years recently shared that both airports she passed through flagged her groin area during the security scan. She had no piercings or medical devices on her person and her pockets were empty. "I don't care about the pat down, they were polite and professional and it doesn't bother me, but I'm wondering what did it," the woman wrote on Reddit. "I'm a midsized adult woman and was wearing bike shorts and normal underwear," she said. She wondered her uterine fibroid - a non-cancerous growth in or around the womb - could have set off. "I read that fibroids could possibly alert [airport security scanners], and it was the exact same spot on my groin both times," the woman wrote. But according to Redditors responding to her post, a sweaty crotch might actually be to blame. "Were you sweating?" one person asked. "Probably a little, I'm terrified of flying so I was nervous," the woman responded. Another person chimed in with a similar experience: "Last time I flew out of my home airport of Tampa, I got searched too, the guard said something unnerving like 'swamp rot' or 'swamp crotch' or something similarly embarrassing." The ways your body reacts in hot weather - and when you must dial 999 You may be wondering - what is "swamp crotch"? And why would it be picked up by airport scanners? Professor Franklin Joseph, consultant physician and head of Dr Frank's clinic, told Sun Health it's "a slang term for excessive sweating in the groin area". "Something that's really common in hot, humid weather or when wearing tight, non-breathable clothes. "The groin has a lot of sweat glands, so it's one of the first places to get sweaty in the heat." Combine that with legging it through an airport, and it's not surprising that you'd be a bit sweaty when you reach the scanners. Prof Joseph went on: 'Some people are more prone to it - especially if they're overweight, have a hormone imbalance, or suffer from hyperhidrosis, which is a condition that causes excessive sweating. 'While it's usually harmless, all that moisture can lead to skin irritation, chafing and even fungal or bacterial infections if it's not dealt with properly. "Wearing loose, breathable clothing and changing out of damp underwear quickly can help prevent problems." 10 easy ways to stop sweating These expert-approved tips should see you through summer, no sweat! 1 Drink up It might seem counterintuitive to drink more to avoid sweating, but fluids help keep your body cool, so it doesn't have to sweat as much to release extra heat. 'Dehydration can also lead to more sweating, as your body is working harder to stay functioning properly,' says personal trainer Tom Penn of F45 Training. 2 Cut The Fat 'Foods high in fat can cause your insides to warm up as your body processes it, resulting in increased sweat,' says Abbas Kanani, a pharmacist from This includes chips, crisps, cakes and processed meats. Prioritise 'good fat' olive oil, which is rich in antioxidants, easy to digest, boosts metabolism and helps regulate sweat levels. 3 Swerve spice As you'd imagine, hot, spicy dishes can make you perspire more. Cool down with yoghurt, and go big on fruits and vegetables with a high water content instead. Try watermelon, grapes and broccoli to boost hydration. Caffeine can also increase sweat, so give decaf a go. 4 Wear deo at night 'Antiperspirants work by blocking the sweat ducts so sweat can't reach the surface of our skin,' explains Tom. 'For best results, apply this to clean, dry underarms before bed. The ingredients need time to create the block over the sweat duct and most people sweat less when in bed. Be patient with this method – it may not work immediately, but after a few nights you should start to see results the next day.' You could also speak to a pharmacist about trying stronger deodorants, such as Driclor and Perspirex. 5 Get a good kip Some studies have found links between sleep deprivation and heat regulation in the body being disrupted. 'If poor sleep is affecting hormone levels, and vice versa, it may trigger symptoms such as hot flushes, sweating and night sweats,' says Abbas. Aim to get seven to nine hours of kip a night by implementing a calming bedtime routine. Have a bath, dim the lights, avoid screens and write down anything that may be troubling you, so it's out of your mind. Hazim Sadideen, consultant plastic surgeon at Cadogan Clinic, says night sweats could be serious if they are related to certain medical conditions (such as tuberculosis, some cancers or bone infections), so if you suddenly experience new night sweats, speak to your GP. 6 Check stress levels Stress can cause your body temperature to rise, triggering sweat glands to kick in – hence why you might get sweaty palms and feet when scared or overexcited. 'Taking slow, deep breaths, holding the breath in for a few seconds and then releasing it, can help slow your heart rate and calm you down,' says Abbas. Download brain-training app Personal Zen, designed to reduce stress and build resilience ( 7 Opt for cotton Wear loose-fitting, breathable clothes and avoid synthetic fabrics, which can make sweating worse. 'Nylon isn't breathable and will trap moisture and heat, making you more likely to sweat. Polyester-based clothing has water-resistant properties, meaning it does not absorb moisture – therefore sweat may remain trapped on your body and clothes,' says Hazim. Tom adds that lighter colours help to reflect the sun rather than absorb it, so wearing white and cream can also keep you cool and dry. 8 Quit smoking If you needed another reason to quit the cigarettes or vapes, here it is. 'Nicotine tells your body to release the chemical acetylcholine, which turns on the sweat glands. It also raises your body temperature, heart rate and blood pressure,' says Abbas. 9 Try vinegar Often, there's some truth behind old wives' tales. 'There are home remedies you could try, such as soaking a cotton ball in apple cider vinegar and applying it to your problem areas at night,' says Tom. 10 Block with Botox 'Botox can be used to prevent the hyperstimulation of sweat glands, when there is no medical reason behind the sweating,' says Hazim. He says that by blocking or interrupting this chemical pathway, Botox minimises or even stops any sweating where it has been injected. 'This is not a cure, but it does help control excessive sweating and is effective for six to 12 months. Some patients with milder symptoms also like this treatment to help them enjoy the summer more. "Common areas people choose to have treated are the armpits, groin and face.' The health expert also discussed why dampness in that area may get flagged at the airport. 'In terms of airport scanners, sweat itself won't trigger an alarm," he said. "But it could cause dark patches or areas of moisture on clothing that look unusual on a scanner and prompt a manual search. "It's more about what the operator sees on the screen than the sweat itself setting anything off.' Airport security scanners use millimetre wave technology that doesn't just detect metal. According to Transport Security Administration (TSA) expert Shawna Malvini Redden, it responds to anything that disrupts the signal, including moisture. She told Reader's Digest that sweat is the "weirdest thing" that can trigger an alert because of how the waves bounce off water. Sweat isn't the only thing that might get you stopped at security, Shawna added. Feminine hygiene products, snug clothing, or even your body shape can trip the scanner. Want to avoid crotch sweat, not just in the vicinity of security scanners? Dr Claire Merrifield, GP and medical director at Selph told Metro: "Some things you can do to prevent it include wearing breathable natural fabrics like cotton or silk as undergarments." Specialised sports wear with moisture-wicking properties and vents or mesh can also help keep you cool. Additionally, you can use anti-chafing powders or sprays, which will help to reduce skin friction and moisture buildup. Finally, Dr Merrifield said that if you are prone to sweating in these areas a lot, try washing the armpit and groin area at least twice a day with a fragrance-free moisturiser or just water and dry thoroughly. "Change and wash your clothes regularly, and use antiperspirants containing aluminium to reduce excessive sweating," she advised.
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Beards may be dirtier than toilets – but all men should grow one
It's a convenient truth of our time that if you Google for long enough, you will eventually find the answer you want. In other words, there's a lot of anti-beard propaganda out there, and I'm not falling for any of it. I love beards. So I keep scrolling. Past the recent Washington Post report that some toilets contain fewer germs than the average beard (that's pretty much true of phone screens, and we happily rub them on our faces). Not even pausing on an investigation into whether it would be hygienic to scan canines and humans in the same MRI machine, which found most beards contained more microbes and bacteria than dog fur. La la la, I'm not listening. Finally, a link worth clicking – a researcher at the University of Leicester supplying a more nuanced picture – AKA My Truth. Primrose Freestone, senior lecturer in clinical microbiology, says: 'The microbial population on skin varies by location and is influenced by factors such as temperature, pH, humidity and nutrient availability.' She points out that regular washing 'removes dirt, oils, allergens and dead skin, helping prevent microbial buildup'. Phew. Although germs be damned, nothing could put me off anyway. All men look better with beards and I will die on that hill; my husband instantly resembles an estate agent without his. Beards also give men an easy advantage in life (come on, they needed one): those with them are instinctively more trustworthy than their bald-chinned counterparts. I would go so far as to suggest that men without beards are ungrateful. If you're able to, why wouldn't you embrace an aesthetic that requires less effort than the alternative – as in, literally no effort – and will not only make you more handsome generally, but also, as the years roll by, disguise what used to be your jawline? Beards are free, painless plastic surgery. A hairy little glow-up, available to most, regardless of wealth or status. The great leveller, right under your nose this whole time. Genuinely rude not to. Polly Hudson is a freelance writer Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
US north-east sees record tick season as climate crisis sparks arachnid boom
Ticks have been flourishing recently in the United States. This year, as compared to recent years, there has been an increase in the reported number of blacklegged ticks, the number of such ticks that carry Lyme disease and visits to the emergency room because of bites from the tiny parasitic arachnid, according to data from universities and the US federal government. The Fordham Tick Index, which measures the chances of being bitten by a blacklegged tick in southern New York, Connecticut and northern New Jersey, rated the week of 20 June as a 10 out of 10, its highest level of risk. Still, scientists who study ticks are not saying people need to panic and avoid hiking even as a heating planet is seeing ticks spread ever wider across the US and boom in numbers. 'I love being outdoors, and I don't recommend that people not go out if the weather's nice, but you have to be prudent in taking some precautions,' said Thomas Daniels, a vector ecologist and director of Fordham University's Louis Calder Center, which produces the index. Blacklegged ticks, the most common cause of Lyme disease, are appearing in higher numbers this year and the range of Lyme disease has in recent decades expanded significantly across the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 1995, reports of the disease were rare in north-eastern states like New York, New Hampshire and Vermont and in midwestern states like Wisconsin and Minnesota. In 2023, there were large clusters of cases in those areas. Daniels said climate change was probably a factor in that expansion of ticks, which are active when the temperature gets above 40F. 'The fact that the distribution of ticks has expanded in the past 20 years is probably largely affected' by the climate becoming 'a little more moderate', Daniels said. This year, the number of nymph blacklegged tick encounters submitted to TickSpotters has been at or above the seasonal weekly average over the last decade, according to data from the program, which is affiliated with the University of Rhode Island. But the numbers have started to decrease in recent weeks, said Thomas Mather, a professor of public health entomology at the University of Rhode Island and director of the Tick Encounter Resource Center. In May and June, the United States has also seen the highest number of emergency room visits during those months for tick bites since 2019, according to the CDC. But that does not mean that all – or even a majority – of those people have contracted Lyme disease, which can cause a rash and symptoms like fever, chills, fatigue and muscle and joint aches. Sometimes patients want help removing a tick or have already removed it but now have a rash or they have 'difficult-to-interpret symptoms and want help to try to determine how likely it is that this is due to Lyme disease or a different tick-borne illness', said Dr Shalom Sokolow, an emergency physician at Phelps hospital in New York. Other illnesses from ticks include alpha-gal syndrome, anaplasmosis and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. 'A good message is to be prudent and proactive in preventing yourself from getting ticks on you or to remove them quickly,' Sokolow said. 'If you're doing that, it's not something necessarily to worry about.' Mather encourages people who find a tick on themselves to submit a photo of it to the Tick Encounter Resource Center because that can help them determine the risk posed by the bite. Otherwise, if a person visits a hospital after getting a tick bite, a doctor could unnecessarily prescribe an antibiotic, which could then disrupt the gut microbiome, Mather said. 'That prophylactic treatment is really only appropriate if the tick is a blacklegged tick and you're in a high Lyme disease area,' Mather said. Webb Kane, an information technology consultant, started frequently hiking after the Covid-19 pandemic because of the exercise, and 'it's also nice to be away from technology and be out in nature,' he said. In January, he ate shrimp and beef and started to itch. After eating the same thing a few weeks later, it happened again. He saw an allergist, thinking it was the shrimp. 'He's like, 'You go hiking all the time? This doesn't sound like a shrimp allergy to me. This sounds like alpha-gal syndrome,'' recalled Kane, who lives in a St Louis suburb. Alpha-gal is caused by lone star tick bites, and for people with it, eating meat or dairy can cause them to develop symptoms like hives, an itchy rash or nausea. Kane no longer consumes beef or pork but can still eat chicken. He said he had already been careful about checking for ticks before developing the syndrome but now also wears insect-shield pants and socks with permethrin, which repels ticks and insects. 'I wish I had bought them before,' said Kane, who continues to hike regularly. To avoid contracting a tick-borne illness, experts encourage hikers to wear light-colored clothing, which makes it easier to spot ticks, including a long-sleeved shirt, tucked into pants, which you should tuck into socks, according to the University of Rhode Island. Insect repellent should also be used. People should check themselves during hikes and again once indoors. That includes a close examination of hair; ears; belly button, legs, clothing, gear and pets. If a tick is found attached to skin, use tweezers – ideally ones with a fine tip – to remove it and then either place it in a container, wrap it tightly in tape or flush it down the toilet. If a tick is attached for less than 24 hours, the risk of Lyme disease is very low, according to the CDC.
