'Looksmaxxing' trend has young men taking hammers to their faces in pursuit of sharper features

Brian Kilmeade sat down with experts to dissect a growing online phenomenon that has captured the attention of young men across the country.

Known as "looksmaxxing," this trend involves a quest for sharper physical features and increased confidence, often categorized into two distinct paths: "softmaxxing" and "hardmaxxing."

While the movement promises self-improvement, the segment revealed deeper concerns regarding safety and the psychological motivations driving these young "looksmaxxers."

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Kilmeade opened the discussion by describing the trend as a quest for young men to "surpass genetic potential." He noted that the methods vary wildly, ranging from "elaborate skin care routines" to extreme physical interventions.

Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Claire Wolinsky said the trend has been gaining momentum for at least a year, highlighting popular techniques like "mewing," where young men attempt to reshape their jawlines through specific tongue positioning.

The New York-based expert was quick to debunk the effectiveness of such methods, stating that they are "clearly not science-based at all."

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The shift toward male-centric beauty standards appears to be heavily influenced by the digital landscape, according to Wolinsky, who observed that "social media is pushing this way." Many young people have become suspicious of traditional medical advice, she added.

Instead, she said, they "look online for their information, and they look at attractive peers to see what they're doing, and they want to look like them."

This digital influence has created a vacuum where influencers dictate health and grooming standards for a generation of men instead of physicians, Wolinsky noted.

Family therapist Tom Kersting shared concerns about the underlying mental health of those participating in the movement.

The New Jersey-based expert questioned whether these young men are acting out of "narcissistic behavior" or if they are in "search of some form of external gratification from strangers online."

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Kersting emphasized that true self-worth cannot be measured by digital metrics, adding that "self-esteem is how I feel about myself. It has nothing to do with how many likes, followers or thumbs-up that I get from the outside world."

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While the experts acknowledged that some aspects of the trend are benign, the line between self-care and self-harm is becoming increasingly blurred.

Wolinsky pointed out that taking care of your skin or sleeping well can be beneficial.

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In contrast, she expressed alarm over "hardmaxxing" behaviors, which include taking steroids and supplements or seeking plastic surgery at a young age. These practices, she noted, "concern me as a mom and also as a physician."

The conversation shifted to "bone smashing," a practice where individuals purportedly use physical objects to alter their facial structure.

Wolinsky clarified the danger of such actions, explaining that "they're apparently taking hammers or physical objects and hurting themselves."

"There's no way that by destroying a bone, it gets thicker or better, or your jawline's going to look improved," she said.

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Kersting suggested that the rise of looksmaxxing may be a symptom of a broader societal crisis facing young males who feel "pushed aside and forgotten about."

As young men struggle to find their identity, he said, they may turn to the internet for guidance.

"The people that are influencing them … these social media influencers … don't really have anything very influential to offer."

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Shift in cancer screening guidance has experts clashing over new guidance

Most women gear up for their first annual mammogram at age 40 to screen for breast cancer, but some experts are questioning whether this is too soon and too frequent.

The American College of Physicians (ACP) recently released new guidance for breast cancer screening based on risk, which was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

The updated guidance suggests that all average-risk, asymptomatic females between 50 and 74 years old should undergo mammograms every two years.

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Those who are between 40 and 49 years of age are encouraged to discuss their risk of breast cancer with a doctor, weighing the potential benefits and harms of screening.

The ACP cautioned that unnecessary screening can produce false positive results, psychological distress, over-diagnosis, over-treatment, additional testing and radiation exposure.

Women 75 and older who are asymptomatic and at average risk, as well as those with limited life expectancy, can discuss halting screening with their doctors, the ACP added.

"This is because the benefits of screening beyond age 74 are reduced or uncertain, while potential harms, such as over-diagnosis, become more likely with increasing age," it said.

For patients who have dense breasts, the ACP encourages doctors to consider supplemental digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT), often called 3D mammography.

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"Decisions should consider potential benefits and harms, radiation exposure, availability, patient values and preferences, and cost," the group wrote. "However, ACP advises against using supplemental MRI or ultrasound for screening in this population."

This guidance was backed by ACP’s Clinical Guidelines Committee, which defined "average-risk" as women who do not have a personal breast cancer history or diagnosis of a high-risk breast lesion, BRCA 1 or 2 genetic mutation, another familial breast cancer risk syndrome or history of high-dose radiation therapy to the chest at a young age.

Dr. Jason M. Goldman, president of ACP, commented in a statement that screening for breast cancer is "essential and should be guided by the best available evidence."

"ACP developed this guidance to provide physicians and females with the information they need to make breast cancer screening decisions, including when to start and discontinue, how often to screen and which methods to use for screening," he said.

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In an interview with Fox News Digital, Lauren Carcas, a medical oncologist with the Miami Cancer Institute, part of Baptist Health South Florida, scrutinized these new guidelines, saying they "add to the confusion of screening recommendations."

"Generally, this recommendation is based on a risk-based screening approach to determine who needs more frequent and/or aggressive screening versus who could safely space out screening frequency," she said.

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"Doing so implies that all women have equal access to individualized discussions and nuanced risk-assessment through either their primary care or gynecologic physicians."

These biennial screening recommendations could "potentially widen disparities and increase the likelihood of missing cancer in the populations that are already impacted by barriers to care," according to Carcas.

The new recommendation differs from other institutes like the American Society of Breast Surgeons and the American College of Radiology/Society of Breast Imaging, which call for annual mammography screenings, typically starting at age 40.

The screening interval "remains the most consequential disagreement between all of the medical societies and the screening task force," Carcas noted.

"All major U.S. societies agree that mammography screening should be available starting at age 40," she said. "However, by age 25, all women should undergo a formal breast cancer risk assessment in order to direct their ongoing screening."

Carcas also challenged ACP’s recommendation against supplemental MRI and ultrasounds for women with dense breast tissue, in favor of only using DBT.

"The radiologic societies very strongly recommend the addition and consideration of breast ultrasound and/or MRI for more complete and accurate imaging," she said.

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Women who have a 20% or higher lifetime risk of developing breast cancer are considered high-risk, according to Carcas, and should undergo annual screening with supplemental ultrasound and MRI consideration.

"For the average-risk woman, the conversation will be more nuanced between the patient and her physician," she said. "Depending on the individual's preference and the recommendation of her gynecologist or primary care, the patient would screen with mammogram on an annual basis or biennially, per shared-decision making."

Carcas pointed to a "gap in evidence" regarding mortality risk between annual and biennial screening, as there has not been a randomized controlled trial investigating the difference between the two.

"Most women who are diagnosed with breast cancer would certainly be grateful to have it diagnosed at an earlier stage, when there is less likely need for chemotherapy and other aggressive modalities of treatment," she said.

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The doctor said she still plans to recommend annual screenings to her patients and to offer ultrasounds and MRIs to those who require it.

"I remain hopeful that this new recommendation from ACP will not alter insurance coverage for patients undergoing screening, particularly in light of the differing recommendations among medical societies," Carcas added.

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Swiss man tests positive for hantavirus after returning from cruise linked to deadly outbreak

A Swiss man who returned from a cruise linked to a deadly hantavirus outbreak has tested positive and been isolated, as health officials say the strain involved can spread between people in rare cases — though the overall risk remains low.

Health authorities in Switzerland confirmed the man recently traveled aboard the MV Hondius, the cruise ship at the center of an outbreak that has already killed three passengers and sickened several others.

Swiss health officials said the man sought medical care after developing symptoms and was immediately placed in isolation. His wife, who traveled with him, is self-isolating but has not shown symptoms.

The officials confirmed his case involves the Andes strain of hantavirus.

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The World Health Organization said the Andes strain is a rare form of hantavirus that can spread between humans through close contact — unlike most hantavirus infections, which are typically linked to exposure to rodent droppings.

South African health authorities said they also identified the Andes strain in two other passengers who were on the ship.

The outbreak left the Dutch-flagged cruise ship stranded off the coast of Cape Verde, with nearly 150 passengers and crew on board as authorities scramble to contain the situation.

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WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Wednesday that three suspected cases were evacuated from the vessel and are being transported to the Netherlands for treatment.

"At this stage, the overall public health risk remains low," Tedros said.

Authorities stress that while the Andes strain can spread person-to-person, transmission remains uncommon and typically requires close, prolonged contact.

Health officials have launched monitoring efforts for passengers both on board and those who have already disembarked, coordinating across multiple countries as the investigation continues.

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The ship departed Argentina on April 1 and was scheduled to travel through the Southern Atlantic, including stops in Antarctica, before the outbreak disrupted its itinerary.

Spain has agreed to receive the vessel in the Canary Islands, though local officials have raised concerns about potential risk to residents.

Hantavirus infections are rare but can be severe, with symptoms ranging from fever and fatigue to serious respiratory illness.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Could hantavirus spread on a cruise ship? Experts weigh risks after deadly outbreak

A deadly hantavirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship in the Atlantic has raised new questions about how the rare, rodent-borne disease may have spread.

The outbreak has left at least three people dead with five additional suspected cases, as the World Health Organization investigates.

Although hantavirus is usually transmitted through contact with infected rodent droppings, experts say the close quarters of the vessel could have amplified the risk.

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The virus is typically found in rodent saliva, urine and feces, becoming airborne near contaminated surfaces, according to Dr. Carrie Horn, chief medical officer at National Jewish Health in Colorado.

While other viruses like COVID-19 also enter through inhalation, they originate from another person’s respiratory tract, she noted. In contrast, person-to-person hantavirus transmission is very unlikely.

"It most often gets into the air when the rodent nest is disturbed, such as when being cleaned up. It is then inhaled into the lungs," Horn told Fox News Digital.

GENE HACKMAN'S HOME FOUND TO BE INFESTED WITH RODENTS AFTER WIFE DIED OF HANTAVIRUS

It is "technically possible" that the virus could be aerosolized (spread into the air) through a ventilation system, the doctor said.

"It is also possible that if a rodent infestation occurred and passengers tried to clean something up, they could have become infected," Horn added. "This is very low risk, but possible. It is also possible that they were exposed off of the ship."

Another option, she said, is that eating contaminated food could cause disease, although that would be less likely than breathing it in.

Dr. Jacob Glanville, CEO of Centivax, a San Francisco biotechnology company, reiterated that hantavirus could potentially spread on a cruise ship under certain conditions.

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"It’s possible, either because there are infected mice on the ship and people are being infected from those mice, or because of human-to-human contact transmission, which the Andes strain has been previously demonstrated to be capable of," he told Fox News Digital.

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He also pointed out that the ship had stopped in South America and that the lethality appears more consistent with strains from the Americas.

Glanville cautioned that until it can be ruled out that a more transmissible strain is involved, removing passengers from the ship could pose risks.

"Otherwise, there is a small but high-consequence risk of creating a lethal international outbreak," he warned.

Historically, hantavirus has been "far less transmissible" than COVID-19, the doctor said. "Unless that changes with a new mutant strain, the risk remains very low to the public."

Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, confirmed that hantavirus almost always requires a rodent vector to spread, though rare cases can occur through contact with contaminated materials or bites.

The experts agreed that the risk to the wider public is low. Siegel reiterated that people should "not be very concerned."

Glanville noted that it’s still unclear whether the cluster came from human-to-human transmission – "although given a potential Andes strain origin, that is a risk."

"Even if it’s an Andes strain, historically transmission human-to-human is inefficient," he told Fox News Digital. "However, it is always possible that a novel mutant can arise that is able to propagate more easily between humans."

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If any new transmission cases are found from contacts who were not on the ship, the situation would become much more concerning, according to Glanville.

"Hantavirus can be 30% to 50% lethal, has a long silent incubation period of one to six weeks, and has the potential for droplet transmission," he warned.

Experts say symptoms typically begin with fever, muscle aches, fatigue and headaches, followed by cough, shortness of breath and, in severe cases, fluid buildup in the lungs. 

These symptoms can mimic flu-like illness, according to Horn.

"From there, it can progress to having trouble breathing, needing oxygen and requiring hospitalization," she told Fox News Digital. "Some people can have gastrointestinal issues as well, such as vomiting and diarrhea."

In extreme cases, the virus can cause severe lung and cardiovascular disease, with a fatality rate of 30% to 50%.

"It can affect the heart, lungs and kidneys, causing all of them not to work appropriately," Horn told Fox News Digital. "Infected people can have trouble maintaining their oxygen levels to the point of needing to be on a ventilator or to get external oxygenation support."

Because the virus is rare, specific risk factors are not well-known, but overall health can influence outcomes, the expert added. Age may also be a factor, as those who died on the cruise ship were elderly.

Experts advise avoiding areas where rodents may be present — particularly dusty or enclosed spaces with signs of infestation — and not disturbing nests or droppings. If cleaning such areas, wearing a filtered mask can help reduce risk.

Travelers should also avoid contact with rodents and contaminated materials, while taking basic precautions like handwashing, disinfecting surfaces and maintaining good overall health.

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"This is a very unusual situation," Horn added, emphasizing that hantavirus poses a very low risk to the general public — especially for those not on the affected ship.

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Missouri tests medical drones to speed up rural care

A new medical drone program being tested in Missouri could help speed up how critical supplies like blood and lab samples are delivered, especially in rural areas where access to care can take longer.

At a test site in Missouri, a drone company working with Missouri University of Science and Technology is trialing flights designed to move medical materials between smaller communities and larger hospital hubs.

The goal is to speed up the distribution of care — including blood for testing, lab samples needed for diagnoses, and tissue used to help match organ donors with recipients.

"It’s very essential. For instance, if you miss sample pickup at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, if you miss that time, it’s another week you can get it delivered on time," said a drone operator involved in the project. 

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The effort comes as rural healthcare access remains a challenge nationwide. More than 130 rural hospitals closed between 2010 and 2021, according to the Senate Joint Economic Committee, leaving some patients traveling about 20 extra miles for care, including time-sensitive testing and procedures.

"When you’re looking at things like transplant speed, it’s an issue," said David Borrok, vice provost and dean of the College of Engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology.

The company says its drones can fly about 100 miles per hour and are being tested along a proposed Missouri route connecting Springfield, Rolla and the St. Louis region.

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"We’re partnering with American Transplant, and we’re running our test corridor from all the way from Springfield, pit stop in Rolla, all the way up to St. Louis," the operator said.

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Flights are monitored in real time using live maps, weather tools and air traffic data.

"So right now, this is the station. So this is what the pilot sees whenever the aircraft is actually in flight," the operator added.

Programs like this are beginning to emerge across the country, and researchers say the technology could expand how medical supplies are delivered in the future.

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"It’s really unique. And I think it could work in a lot of different ways for a lot of different people," Borrok said.

The team hopes to begin official flights this summer, with the initial focus on transporting medical samples. Future versions of the drones are being developed to eventually carry transplant-related materials.

A planned landing site in St. Albans would serve as the easternmost drop point along the current route.

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Sleep apnea may be quietly changing your body in an unexpected way, study finds

Researchers in Israel have discovered a difference in muscle structure in those with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

According to a new study published in the journal Sleep and Breathing, people with OSA tend to have a higher muscle mass index, reflecting greater area relative to height, as well as lower density.

This means people with OSA may look like they have more muscle, but that muscle tends to be less dense and potentially less functional.

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The researchers gathered data from 209 adults in an overnight sleep study who underwent chest or abdominal CT scans, according to a press release.

Compared with a control group, the researchers found that people with OSA were older, more often male and heavier on average. They were also more likely to have hypertension, cardiovascular disease and poorer oxygen levels during sleep.

The findings showed a significant link between OSA and higher muscle mass index. However, lower muscle density was more strongly associated with age and weight than with OSA.

Worse sleep apnea severity was linked with lower skeletal muscle density (SMD) and higher skeletal muscle index (SMI), indicating larger but less dense muscle.

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Higher BMI was strongly linked with lower SMD and higher SMI, while older age was strongly linked with lower SMD.

Individuals over 60 years old and those with a BMI over 30 had much stronger links to lower muscle density than OSA alone, according to the research.

Dr. Wendy Troxel, a Utah-based licensed clinical psychologist and senior behavioral scientist at RAND, simplified the main study findings in an interview with Fox News Digital.

"Individuals with OSA may have more muscle mass, but that muscle may be less healthy because it contains more fat, which can impair strength and metabolic function," said Troxel, who was not involved in the study.

"This pattern overlaps with sarcopenia, a clinical condition where muscle becomes weaker and less efficient, even if muscle size doesn’t dramatically decline." 

Troxel pointed out an "important" association between OSA severity and muscle quality, which was "modest compared to known risk factors, including age and body mass."

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"[This indicates] that OSA may be one marker within a broader profile of metabolic risk," she said.

"Clinically, these findings highlight that OSA is much more than a nighttime breathing disorder. It may signal underlying metabolic dysfunction affecting multiple systems, including muscle health."

In an interview with Fox News Digital, study co-author Ariel Tarasiuk, professor at the department of physiology and cell biology at Israel’s Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, shared his thoughts on the "paradoxical" findings.

"Age and obesity appeared to have a stronger influence on muscle health than sleep apnea itself," he said. "This suggests that while sleep apnea may play a role, it is unlikely to be the primary factor driving these changes."

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Patients should be aware that sleep apnea is not just about snoring or poor sleep, Tarasiuk said, as it can affect overall health, including muscle function.

"Getting properly diagnosed and treated matters," he said. "CPAP therapy can make a real difference in improving breathing and sleep quality, but it’s only part of the picture."

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"Maintaining a healthy weight and staying physically active are equally important for muscle health and for reducing the severity of sleep apnea," he went on. "In short, treating sleep apnea is about protecting long-term health, not just getting a better night’s sleep."

Tarasiuk reminded clinicians that larger muscles don’t always mean healthier, as some muscles may be infiltrated with fat, which may reduce their strength and performance.

"This highlights the importance of looking beyond muscle size alone," he said. "Routine imaging, such as CT scans performed for other reasons, can sometimes provide additional insight into muscle quality."

"Overall, the findings point toward a more holistic approach: treating the airway while also focusing on weight, physical activity and metabolic health."

The study findings may not apply to all populations, as it was conducted at a single center, according to Tarasiuk.

The researchers also did not have access to information on lifestyle factors like physical activity, diet, smoking or alcohol use, factors that can influence muscle health.

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"Looking ahead, larger studies across multiple centers will help confirm these findings and provide a broader picture," Tarasiuk added.

"Future research will also focus more on outcomes that matter in real life, such as how patients respond to treatments like CPAP, and on understanding how muscle changes develop over time in people with sleep apnea."

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Rare hantavirus human-to-human transmission suspected on luxury cruise ship where 3 have died

Rare human-to-human transmission of the hantavirus may have happened aboard a cruise ship of nearly 150 passengers, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Tuesday, after three passengers died and at least four others were left sickened.

The U.N. health agency said it is still investigating the outbreak aboard the Dutch vessel MV Hondius as it remains off the coast of Cape Verde, emphasizing that human-to-human transmission is uncommon and that the risk to the wider ‌public was low.

"We do believe that there may be some human-to-human transmission that's happening among the really close ​contacts, the husband and wife, people who have shared cabins," Maria Van Kerkhove, the director of epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention at the WHO, told reporters in Geneva.

"Some people on the ship were couples, they were ​sharing rooms so that's quite intimate contact," Van Kerkhove said.

CRUISE SHIP OUTBREAK LEAVES 3 DEAD AS OFFICIALS DELAY MEDICAL EVACUATIONS AND PROBE HANTAVIRUS THREAT

The WHO said Monday that two cases of hantavirus infection have been laboratory confirmed, while five additional suspected cases are pending. Of the seven people affected, three have died and one is currently in intensive care in South Africa.

Humans are primarily infected with hantavirus infection through contact with the urine, droppings or saliva of infected rodents, according to the U.N. health agency, though limited human-to-human transmission has been reported in previous outbreaks of the Andes variant of the virus.

The WHO said it had been told there were no rats aboard the cruise vessel, leading to the working assumption that the deceased Dutch couple was infected in Argentina before boarding.

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The vessel was on a weeks-long polar cruise from Argentina to Antarctica and several isolated islands in the South Atlantic.

Authorities are working to determine whether the cases are connected and when those requiring medical care will be allowed to disembark.

The WHO said Monday that passengers were asked to stay in their cabins and "limit their risk while disinfection and other measures are being taken."

Van Kerkhove told reporters that the plan for now is for the ship "to continue on to the Canary Islands."

"We’re working with Spanish authorities, who will welcome the ship," Van Kerkhove said.

Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner, along with The Associated Press and Reuters, contributed to this report.

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