'Office air' trend has people convinced the workplace is aging them: 'Less fresh'

Is the air in your office dulling your look? The internet, and some experts, think so.

"Office air," a new trend on social media, is a concept that suggests sitting in an office for an eight-hour shift changes skin, hair and overall appearance.

The TikTok trend has sparked many videos and millions of views from a variety of creators, mostly women.

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One TikTok creator, Zoe Keels (@zoescoutt), posted her own before-and-after video following an 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. shift in the office, which has received more than 300,000 views.

"Sucks the life right out of you," Keels wrote in the caption of the post. Others commented, agreeing with her experience.

"It makes my skin look & feel horrible! Ughh," one user commented.

Another wrote, "I look like I’ve been to war every day by 3pm."

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In a conversation with Fox News Digital, Keels described "office air" as a "combo of dry, recycled air, bright fluorescent lighting and staring at a screen for eight hours, mixed with the stress of the job itself."

"By the end of the day, it definitely shows in my skin, makeup and hair," she said.

This phenomenon has some scientific backing, experts say.

Los Angeles-based dermatologist Dr. Sandra Oska said most office environments rely on HVAC systems that "lower ambient humidity."

This can cause the skin to appear more dry and dull, according to Oska, due to an increase in "transepidermal water loss."

"When the skin is dehydrated, that can emphasize the appearance of fine lines, and makeup can settle into patches of dry skin," she told Fox News Digital. "Eczema-prone or sensitive skin does not do as well in low-humidity environments, either."

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When the skin feels dry, it can "try to compensate by producing more sebum, which can contribute to oiliness in the T-zone that’s worse by end of day," the dermatologist noted.

Low-humidity environments can also cause the hair to feel dry and frizzy, causing flyaways.

"This is why hair starts looking worse by the afternoon," she said. "When the environment is dry, the scalp compensates by producing more sebum, meaning the roots look oilier and the volume at the root can fall flat."

Certain irritants in an environment, like dust particles, can also irritate the skin and eyes, according to Oska.

"This can cause people to rub their eyes, which in turn contributes to puffiness and dark circles," she said.

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The "office air" trend not only impacts physical appearance, but also the mental well-being, confidence and productivity of employees throughout the workday, according to Amanda Augustine, a career expert at resume.io.

"Many office workers on the app say they feel ‘less fresh’ by the afternoon, as their surroundings take a toll on both their hair and skin," she told Fox News Digital.

"The 'office air' trend on TikTok highlights a real concern about workplace environments affecting not just appearance, but also employee confidence and well-being."

Augustine highlighted how office factors, like excessive air conditioning or heating, artificial lighting, lack of natural sunlight, poor ventilation and prolonged screen time, can lead to dry skin, hair issues and fatigue.

"All of [those] can negatively impact employee productivity, engagement and morale," she said. "While it may seem like a lighthearted social media trend, it highlights the importance of workplace wellness."

"Employers should note that creating a comfortable, well-ventilated office space can encourage a healthier and more engaged workforce."

Keeping skin moisturized and taking breaks to get fresh air can also help prevent this effect, experts say.

The "office air" phenomenon is not a medical concept, some experts noted, and any changes in appearance could also be due to other factors beyond environmental exposure.

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Fox News Digital reached out to several indoor air quality and occupational health organizations requesting comment.

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Lead contamination crisis exposed in public parks across major southern city

An investigation in New Orleans discovered high levels of lead contamination in playgrounds all over the city, despite previous efforts to rid them of the health hazard.

Now, city officials are racing to secure $5 million in federal aid to clean up the soil where local children play.

In February, Verite News reporters tested more than 80 playgrounds across the city, finding that 50% of the sites harbored lead levels that experts deem unsafe.

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At one park, levels were recorded at nearly 6,000 parts per million, or 30 times higher than the EPA’s recommended screening level.

According to Trust for America’s Health, a nonprofit public health policy organization based in Washington, D.C., more than 90% of New Orleans’ housing structures were built prior to 1978, which is the year lead was banned in residential paint.

"In addition to deteriorating paint … the lead dust from the use of leaded gasoline contributed significantly to elevated soil lead levels," the group noted.

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Children younger than age 6 are especially vulnerable to lead poisoning, which health institutions claim can severely affect growth and brain development. At very high levels, lead poisoning can be fatal, experts say.

Public health researchers recommend that parents avoid playgrounds known to be contaminated with lead, as it can be difficult to prevent children from ingesting traces of dirt or breathing in dust while playing.

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The announcement sparked immediate outrage from parents, many of whom had previously drawn attention to the excessive levels of lead in parks.

On April 7, Mayor Helena Moreno ordered the creation of a task force to review and improve the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission (NORDC).

"The City’s immediate priority is to evaluate the current strengths and weaknesses of the City’s recreation program," the mayor said in a statement.

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The task force will "consider and make recommendations regarding the costs and practicalities of implementing a program to assess and remediate safety and environmental concerns at NORDC facilities and playgrounds, including the existence of lead in soil."

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Prior to this order, Deputy Mayor of Health and Human Services Jennifer Avegno announced that city officials were working with the state’s congressional delegation to request $5 million in federal funds for the federal fiscal year, according to reports from Verite News.

"Protecting the health and safety of our children and families is at the center of every decision we’re making. The city previously applied for a lead prevention grant prior to the recent investigation of local parks," Avegno said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

"Mayor Moreno moved quickly with an executive order to strengthen accountability, coordination and rapid response across agencies," she continued.

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"Through internal cross-departmental working groups and the Mayor’s NORD task force, we are aligning public health, recreation, capital projects and community partners to compile a full assessment of playground conditions, act decisively to prioritize remediation, and ensure that facilities remain safe for every child and family."

"At the same time, we are actively pursuing additional external funding to expand our capacity, accelerate improvements, and ensure that long-term protections are in place."

The money will go toward testing and cleanup of affected playgrounds.

Fox News Digital reached out to the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission for comment.

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This could be why your weight-loss medication isn’t delivering results

The skyrocketing popularity of GLP-1 receptor agonists has transformed the weight-loss industry, but not all shots are created equal in terms of how they work.

A study published in Nature investigated how genes affect the success of modern weight-loss drugs — specifically, GLP-1s like semaglutide and tirzepatide.

In analyzing genetic data and self-reported weight loss from over 27,000 users, researchers pinpointed a specific variation in the GLP-1 receptor gene (GLP1R) that acts as a "booster" for the drug’s effectiveness.

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Individuals carrying one copy of this variant lost an average of 1.6 pounds more than those without it, according to the findings.

This suggests that genetic testing could eventually help doctors steer sensitive patients toward medications they are more likely to tolerate.

"We believe these reports are a step forward in meeting an unmet need for a more informed and personalized approach to weight management," said study co-author Noura Abul-Husn, chief medical officer at the 23andMe Research Institute in California, in a press release.

While this genetic "boost" is measurable, it remains relatively modest when compared to the total average weight loss of 24 pounds observed across the study population, the researchers noted.

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Beyond genetics, other factors such as age, sex and specific medications remain much stronger predictors of success.

For instance, the study found that women generally saw a higher body mass index (BMI) reduction (12.2%) compared to men (10.0%).

The study may also reveal why certain patients experience stomach issues. Scientists identified a different genetic variant that was linked to increased reports of nausea and vomiting.

The presence of this side effect did not impact the drug's effectiveness, however. Patients with variants in the GLP1R and GIPR genes lost just as much weight as those without it; they simply felt more sick during the process, the study found.

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"GLP-1 treatment decisions are complex, and having access to clinical expertise to help contextualize your genetic results alongside your full health picture is exactly the kind of guidance this report is designed to support," said Abul-Husn.

Dr. Peter Balazs, MD, a hormone and weight-loss specialist serving the New York and New Jersey area, was not involved in the study but reiterated the role of the genetic variants in treatment response and side effects.

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"Notably, there appears to be a drug-specific effect: The GIPR variant associated with these side effects is observed with tirzepatide, but not with semaglutide," he told Fox News Digital.

Balazs said he was surprised by the extremely wide nausea risk range (5%–78%). "Additionally, the drug-specific genetic dissociation was unexpected," he added.

The data relied on participants reporting their own weight, which could be subject to bias.

"The data is self-reported and not medically verified, which may affect its reliability firstly," Balazs told Fox News Digital. "It also does not account for key treatment variables, such as titration, discontinuation or dosing schedules."

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The 23andMe participant pool may not reflect a diverse, real-world population, he added.

"The study also lacks data on important clinical endpoints, such as diabetes progression, and severe adverse effects, such as gastroparesis or pancreatitis," Balazs pointed out. "Many of its findings also have not been supported by more clinically and statistically robust studies."

For example, a sub-study comparing these reports to objective iPhone health data suggested that participants might over-report their progress. While users reported an 11.8% loss, electronic data in that subset showed a 5.8% loss.

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As an observational study rather than a controlled clinical trial, it could not definitively prove that the genetic variants caused the difference in weight loss, only that they are associated with it, the researchers noted.

"I think this article is interesting, raising the possibility of genetic factors, and the use of genetic testing incorporated into further decision-making when picking weight-loss medications," Balazs said. "However, I would be careful to draw conclusions solely based on this study."

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Sleeping without a pillow could have surprising health benefit, study suggests

Sleeping with, or without, a pillow may have a sneaky impact on your health.

New research suggests that skipping the pillow could help prevent the development of glaucoma, an eye disease that damages the optic nerve and can cause vision loss or blindness.

Glaucoma can be caused by elevated eye pressure, thinning of the optic nerve or fluid buildup, according to the Glaucoma Research Foundation.

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The study, published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, found that eye pressure was higher in glaucoma patients who slept with two pillows compared to lying flat. Blood flow to the eye decreased in the high-pillow position.

This may occur due to the neck bending forward, compressing the veins, the authors suggested. Glaucoma patients may benefit from avoiding sleep postures that put the neck in this position, they concluded.

Dr. William Lu, medical director at Dreem Health, who was not involved in the study, called these findings "interesting and important."

"It highlights how something as simple as sleep posture can influence intra-ocular pressure in people with glaucoma," the San Francisco-based expert told Fox News Digital.

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"That said, this is still early research, and it doesn’t mean pillows are inherently harmful – it’s more about how they’re used and the degree of elevation."

The key takeaway is "balance and personalization," Lu said. Most people don’t need to eliminate pillows, but should avoid "extreme positions," such as sleeping with the head sharply elevated or with the neck bent at an awkward angle, he noted.

Sleeping without a pillow can help promote a more neutral neck alignment for some people, especially those who sleep on their backs, according to Lu.

"That can reduce strain on the cervical spine and may improve comfort or reduce morning stiffness," he said. "In certain cases, it may also reduce pressure points that come from overly thick or unsupportive pillows."

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Going pillow-free isn’t ideal for side sleepers, who often need a pillow to keep the head aligned with the spine, Lu added.

"Without one, the neck can tilt downward and create strain over time," he said. "For others, skipping a pillow can worsen snoring or airway positioning, and people with existing neck or shoulder issues may actually feel worse without proper support."

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For those who have glaucoma or are at higher risk, Lu recommends discussing sleep posture with a healthcare provider and aiming for a position that keeps the head and neck aligned without excessive elevation.

"Small adjustments in sleep setup can be a simple but meaningful way to support overall health," he said.

In a separate interview with Fox News Digital, Dr. Saema Tahir, a board-certified sleep disorder specialist in New York City, said these findings align with prior research showing that "how you elevate your head matters."

"Elevating the head of the bed itself can reduce eye pressure, but using multiple pillows may not have the same effect – and could even be counterproductive in some cases," she said.

Tahir stressed that there is "very limited high-quality evidence" showing health benefits from sleeping without a pillow.

"What matters most is maintaining proper alignment of the cervical spine, and that varies from person to person," she said. "Without adequate support, especially for side sleepers, the neck can fall out of alignment."

This can manifest as neck pain and stiffness, morning headaches, or shoulder and arm discomfort.

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"So, for many people, especially side sleepers, skipping a pillow can actually make sleep quality worse," the expert said.

"For those with glaucoma or at risk should avoid sleeping face-down with pressure on the eyes and should be cautious with very high or stacked pillows … Be mindful of side sleeping, as the lower eye can experience higher pressure."

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Doctor warns wearable fitness trackers can backfire, despite Rory McIlroy's success

The roar of the crowd at the Masters is a familiar sound, but during Rory McIlroy's final hole victory, he was tracking a different kind of data: the rhythm of his heart.

As the golfer secured his win, his wearable device revealed a heart rate of 117 beats per minute on his first putt, soaring to 150 during the post-win celebration, according to data released from his fitness wearable on Monday.

New York-based medical expert Dr. Mike Varshavski joined host Lawrence Jones on "Fox & Friends" on Tuesday to discuss whether these wearable devices are improving public health or simply fueling a new era of medical stress.

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For McIlroy, the device functions as both a performance tracker and a tool for managing the golfer’s long-term heart condition.

He shared his myocarditis diagnosis, which he received at the age of 20, in a podcast interview with the brand Whoop.

"I can wear Whoop, and I can monitor my HRV, my heart rate... just to be able to keep on top of that, it just gives me massive peace of mind," he said.

However, Varshavski shared a different opinion of consumer wearables. While acknowledging their value for "a big athletic event, PGA Tour [or] professional sports," the doctor expressed concern for the average user.

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"I would never recommend a consumer-grade device to track a true medical condition. This is not what these devices are intended to do."

Jones, an avid user of multiple devices, including the Whoop, Oura Ring and Apple Watch, shared that the data helps him catch up on deficits and understand his recovery.

"Sometimes you don't understand if you're in a deep sleep, for example, or you may have gotten eight hours, but you weren't really, you were tossing and turning," Jones noted.

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Varshavski countered that an obsession with these metrics can actually backfire.

"When you start losing track of that by focusing on the numbers, not how you actually feel, I feel that disconnects you with your own body," he cautioned.

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"We have a medical term for this called orthosomnia, where we become so obsessed with these fitness trackers and the sleep data, but it actually fuels sleep anxiety."

Jones emphasized that for a population that has historically ignored internal health in favor of "how they look from a... superficial standpoint," these devices provide a necessary gateway to health awareness.

The doctor agreed that the motivational aspect is a win as long as the expectations remain realistic. He suggests treating the technology with the same perspective as any other piece of fitness gear.

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"We can treat these devices like we would a new pair of running shoes. You know, if that gets you excited to get an exercise program, why not? Let's make use of it."

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Where you live could shape your risk of cancer mortality, study suggests

While U.S. cancer deaths have been falling over the past couple of decades, certain parts of the country are seeing less improvement in those numbers.

New research published in the British Journal of Cancer assessed the differences in cancer mortality improvements across the country.

Researchers at Mississippi State's Social Science Research Center, along with scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, analyzed death certificates between 1981 and 2019 across nearly 3,000 U.S. counties.

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The data was drawn from Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (WONDER), which is operated by the CDC. More than 21.3 million cancer deaths were included in the records.

Overall, U.S. cancer mortality has declined by about 32% between 1991 and 2019, but not all areas experienced that level of improvement.

The highest rates of mortality decline and the biggest drop in excess deaths were seen in urban, coastal and higher-income counties, according to the study. Rural and lower-income counties had smaller declines in mortality.

"In a complex nation such as the U.S., we should not be too surprised that there are large differences in health outcomes shaped by the diversity and variety of local regions and groups," Arthur G. Cosby, the study's lead author, told Fox News Digital. He is a Giles Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Mississippi State. 

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"Cancer improvement over the last few decades certainly aligns with this perspective," he said. 

The gap appeared to widen over time, researchers noted. By 2019, the top 10% highest-income counties had a roughly seven times greater mortality improvement than the lowest-income counties.

The large urban centers along both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts consistently had among the highest rates of cancer improvement, according to Cosby. Rural and smaller cities in the interior of the U.S. often had much lower rates.

"The magnitude of the mortality differences between coastal and inland regions, [and] the large differences between places with different income levels and rural/urban places, were larger than I anticipated," Cosby said.

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"The link between improving health and increasing disparities is poorly understood. I am pursuing that question now," he added.

The researchers pointed to several factors that could contribute to the declines in cancer mortality. These included a decline in tobacco use and improved cancer screenings and treatments.

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"Wealthy, metropolitan New York City has been aggressive in instituting tobacco control measures, and the results show," Cosby noted. "Manhattan had a lung cancer rate of 49 per 100,000 in 1991. By 2019, it cut its rate to 19.6 — a 60% reduction."

Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, agreed that more aggressive preventive measures targeting smoking and alcohol use likely played a role in the sharper mortality decline in urban, affluent areas.

"More aggressive screening campaigns, including at major medical centers, can diagnose pre-cancers or cancers earlier," Siegel, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.

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A focus on improved lifestyle habits and less exposure to environmental toxins could also play a role, he added.

The study had some limitations, as noted by the authors.

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Because the research was conducted at the county level, the results may not apply at the individual level. 

Also, unmeasured factors such as lifestyle behaviors and access to healthcare could impact mortality.

"There are many limitations associated with the use of death certificates in research, such as accuracy of cause of death, possible multiple causes and changes in medical explanation for death over time," Cosby told Fox News Digital.

Based on the findings, the researchers are calling for more studies that take into account the significant variations that exist across the country.

"The varying speed of adoption of life-saving interventions between geographic places may produce increasing disparities," Cosby said. "It is possible to have a situation where nearly all places are improving their cancer mortality, but at much different rates."

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Weight gain in certain decade of life may be more dangerous, study suggests

Weight management is often treated as a "middle-age" problem, but new research suggests that the pounds you pack on in your 20s may be the most dangerous of your life.

A massive study of more than 620,000 individuals found that the damage from early weight gain is disproportionately high and surprisingly permanent. According to the findings, the younger someone is when obesity sets in, the higher the risk of early mortality.

The study, published in the journal eClinicalMedicine, analyzed data from the Obesity and Disease Development Sweden project.

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"The most consistent finding is that weight gain at a younger age is linked to a higher risk of premature death later in life, compared with people who gain less weight," Tanja Stocks, a professor at Lund University and one of the researchers behind the study, said in a press release.

Developing obesity between the ages of 17 and 29 was linked to a 70% higher risk of early death compared to weight gain later in life.

Weight gain later in adulthood, between ages 30 and 60, was also linked to higher death rates, but the connections were generally weaker.

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"One possible explanation for why people with early obesity onset are at greater risk is their longer period exposed to the biological effects of excess weight," Huyen Le, a doctoral student at Lund University and first author of the study, said in the release.

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When weight gain happens in the 20s, the blood vessels, liver and metabolic systems endure obesity-related strain for decades longer than someone who gains the same weight in their 50s, experts say.

The study identified type 2 diabetes as the leading cause of death associated with early-onset obesity. Other significant risks included high-blood pressure, liver cancer in men and uterine cancer in women.

To reach these conclusions, researchers tracked participants’ weight paths across adulthood over more than 50 years, focusing on three specific windows: ages 17 to 29, 30 to 44, and 45 to 60.

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Using a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher to define obesity, the team compared weight data against Sweden’s national death registry.

After adjusting for a variety of factors, including smoking habits and marital status, the trend showed that becoming obese later in life still carried risks, but the danger compounded the longer people stayed obese.

While these findings highlight the "importance of early and sustained obesity prevention strategies," the researchers noted that other factors come into play, and that increases in risk within a population can be difficult to interpret.

"We shouldn’t get too hung up on exact risk figures," Stocks said.

"They are rarely entirely accurate, as they are influenced, for example, by the factors taken into account in the study and the accuracy with which both risk factors and outcomes have been measured."

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Because the study was conducted in Sweden, more research is needed to understand the effect of early-onset obesity in other populations, the team noted.

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