Viral wellness trend has customers paying $130 for professional back scratches

A new wellness fad is raking in business in the Miami area: paying someone to lightly scratch your back, scalp and arms for pure relaxation. 

"I think it's a very weird thing," Tomi Lahren said on "Outnumbered" on Aug. 29 in response to the trend.

"I guess good for them for making a business out of it, but why am I not surprised that something like this has gone viral on TikTok?"

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The family-run Scratcher Girls brand bills itself as purveyors of "professional back scratching," operating a studio in Miami Gardens and a weekend booth at Hollywood’s Yellow Green Farmers Market. 

The company calls itself the first of its kind and says clients come for "mood-enhancing scratch therapy."

Online booking shows pricing at $74.99 for 30 minutes and $129.99 for an hour; couples sessions run higher. Clients are asked to arrive clean, and staff can do a scalp check if "hair play" is requested. 

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"I think the criminal attorney in me just sees this as like, DNA transfer, and a whole lot of opportunity for other stuff," Emily Compagno joked as the hosts discussed their hesitation.

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Part of the surge in popularity comes from social media. Scratcher Girls’ ASMR-style TikTok clips have pushed the niche service into the mainstream, sparking hundreds of thousands of followers and millions of likes, and turning the simple act of a soothing scratch into viral content.

Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is a "previously unstudied sensory phenomenon," according to the National Institute of Health, in which individuals experience a tingling, static-like sensation in response to specific audio and visual stimuli.

"I will say, my boys, they have my mom scratch their back… they love it… they melt, they fall asleep," co-host Tiffany Smiley added as an example of the appeal.

"There is science that backs the dopamine release and what it does to, you know, your mental health and your relaxation," she added. 

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Scratcher Girls, for its part, has leaned into demand with a summer tour schedule and regular market pop-ups, allowing people to "try before you buy." 

The brand’s site touts "over 20 years of experience" and a mission built on gentle, calming touch.

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"I think the only people who should be scratching your back are your partner, your loved one, your parent — I don't think that's for anybody else to do," Lahren said.

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Two key heart health metrics could determine how long you'll live

There are numerous paths to living a longer, healthier life, mostly through physical activity, diet and other lifestyle factors.

But according to board-certified cardiovascular surgeon Dr. Jeremy London, the key to longevity could come down to two main metrics.

In a video posted to his more than one million followers on social media, London broke down how two factors – VO2 max and muscle mass – can help increase health span and lifespan.

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VO2 max is an indicator of how efficiently the body utilizes oxygen with intense exercise, said London, who is based in Savannah, Georgia.

"In other words, the health of your cardiovascular system," he said. "Not surprising that it increases health span and lifespan."

In an on-camera interview with Fox News Digital, London added that VO2 max is "statistically" the No. 1 indicator of longevity. (See the video at the top of this article.)

In comparing individuals with a low VO2 max to those with a higher VO2 max, scientists have identified "magnitudes of improvement" in reducing cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, as well as increasing longevity.

A recent Harvard Medical School publication confirmed that a high VO2 correlates with better physical fitness and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

"If you know your VO2 max, you can use it as a tool to help you exercise more efficiently," the Harvard experts wrote.

"If you have a higher VO2 max, that means your heart and lungs are more effectively supplying blood to your muscles, and that your muscles are efficiently extracting and using oxygen from your blood. That's why a high VO2 max is a good indicator of a high fitness level."

Muscle mass is the next element that can impact longevity, London noted.

"It's a close second, and plays a significant role in the ability to continue daily life activities as we age," he told Fox News Digital. "The combination of the two is the magic sauce."

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One reason is that muscle is a "glucose sink," meaning it decreases the risk of insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome.

When the body is ill, muscle mass can also secrete "myocines," which are anti-inflammatory proteins that can decrease the severity of illnesses.

"Muscle is so important for your functional capacity, being able to do the things you want to do in later years," London said. "The deadlifts you do at 30 enable you to pick up the suitcase at 80."

Building muscle mass doesn't always require heavyweight training or strenuous exercise. In fact, London said he's sometimes hesitant to use the word "exercise" at all.

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"Just move," he said. "It could be dancing for some people, it could be swimming, it could be just going for a walk … It may just be body weight or yoga, or Pilates or whatever."

The key is consistency, he emphasized, and finding a balance between what you need and what you enjoy doing for fitness and movement.

"There's no one answer for everybody, but you just want to put your muscles under stress and strain so they can grow," London went on. 

"And you want to be moving on a regular basis during the week so that you're getting your heart rate up to keep your VO2 max as high as it possibly can be, based on your age."

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A simple walking program or body weight resistance training, he said, is "free, accessible and always available."

London added, "The cool thing is, even if you’ve never exercised, or if you haven’t exercised for a long time, you can still get benefits."

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Is your manicure safe? Chemical banned from nail salons for health dangers

Gel manicures are a beauty staple for millions, lasting weeks without chips and staying glossy through work, workouts and everything in between. 

But as of Sept. 1, 2025, the European Union has banned a chemical used in many gel polishes, sparking safety concerns and uncertainty for nail salons, according to a press release.

The ingredient in question is Trimethylbenzoyl Diphenylphosphine Oxide (TPO). This compound reacts under UV light to make the polish harden quickly and give it a glass-like finish.

The decision appears to stem from several studies linking TPO exposure to fertility issues. 

These studies often focused on animal subjects, not humans, but the EU uses a strict "better safe than sorry" approach when it comes to cosmetics.

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Regulators reclassified TPO as a Category 1B CMR substance, meaning it may cause cancer or reproductive harm. Under EU law, that triggered an automatic ban.

As a result, both the marketing and use of cosmetic products containing TPO — including in professional settings like nail salons — are strictly prohibited. 

The key difference between gel and regular polish is the application process — and it’s not just the compounds people need to watch, according to Cleveland Clinic.

"The two products usually look identical, but while you simply wait for regular nail polish to dry on its own … gel nail polish quick-dries under a specialized UV or LED lamp in 60 to 90 seconds," the site reads.

During a manicure, these lamps help to set gel manicures and dry polish. However, they also emit ultraviolet rays, which have been linked to skin cancer and premature aging, the above source stated.

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These rays penetrate deep into the skin and damage collagen. However, studies have shown that the connection between nail salon lamps and cancer appears weak or inconclusive.

Salons in the EU must immediately stop using TPO products, even if they stocked up before the deadline, the release states.

Technically, even old bottles of polish containing TPO aren’t legal after Sept. 1. The ban only applies in the EU for now.

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The good news for customers, however, is that gel nails aren’t going away. 

Brands are already reformulating with alternative ingredients like TPO-L, BAPO and methyl benzoylformate, according to industry reports.

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Early Alzheimer’s signs detected in 3 minutes with new brainwave test

A new brainwave test could detect early signs of Alzheimer’s years before diagnosis — in just three minutes.

That’s according to researchers at the University of Bath and the University of Bristol, who recently tested the new technology — called Fastball EEG — in patients’ homes.

The three-minute test records electrical activity in the brain as the person looks at a series of images. It is designed to pick up on signs of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which often precedes Alzheimer’s.

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Because Fastball is a "passive" EEG test, it automatically picks up on the brain’s responses without requiring the participants to answer questions or recall information.

This makes it less likely to be influenced by factors such as anxiety, education, culture or language, according to study lead Dr. George Stothart, a cognitive neuroscientist in the Department of Psychology at the University of Bath.

"Fastball is sensitive to both pre-diagnosed Alzheimer’s disease and individuals at very high risk of developing it," Stothart told Fox News Digital. "Importantly, EEG data collection for Fastball is entirely feasible in people’s homes, making it a practical tool for real-world use."

In the trial, 53 patients with mild cognitive impairment and 54 healthy older adults were tested with the tool to gauge their memory skills. They were then re-tested after one year.

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The patients with MCI were found to have "significantly reduced" memory-related brain responses compared to those without any cognitive decline.

The findings were published in the journal Brain Communications.

"We were pleasantly surprised by the test-retest reliability in healthy older adults," Stothart said. "In the one-year follow-up, measurements remained stable, indicating that for healthy older adults, Fastball provides consistent results over time."

The main limitation, according to Stothart, is that the researchers didn’t have biomarker data for participants with MCI due to cost and resource constraints. 

"However, our larger ongoing clinical validation studies in the U.K. and U.S., each involving 1,000 patients, now include extensive biomarker coverage," he noted.

The hope is that the tool can be rolled out for use in doctors’ offices, memory clinics or homes, helping to enable earlier Alzheimer’s diagnoses.

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That could allow patients to get earlier access to key Alzheimer’s drugs, like donanemab and lecanemab, which are most effective earlier in the disease progression, researchers said.

"Patients themselves do not receive the Fastball results directly," Stothart said. "Instead, results are provided to the clinician, who integrates them into a broader diagnostic assessment."

"Fastball is another valuable tool that clinicians can choose to include as part of their diagnostic battery."

Christopher Weber, Ph.D., senior director of global science initiatives at the Alzheimer's Association in Chicago, said this technology has potential as a non-invasive tool for the detection of memory changes that could indicate the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. 

"However, more research is needed before this could be considered for inclusion in the diagnostic toolbox for Alzheimer’s," Weber, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.

"This includes confirmation of these findings in larger, more representative study populations, over longer periods of time, where tests are done to confirm that study participants have brain changes related to Alzheimer’s."

Weber also pointed out that this technology does not appear to determine the cause of the memory loss.

"As a result, it is unclear what the results of this test may mean about your Alzheimer’s risk and/or your health status," he said. "So even if this tech proves itself with further research, it is still likely that additional tests, looking at disease-related biomarkers or imaging of the brain, would also be needed to inform treatment or risk reduction."

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Despite the limitations, Weber said Fastball may prove to be valuable for initial screening or to inform a patient’s conversations with their doctor. 

"And it could be valuable to investigate how this technology could complement other diagnostic methods, such as PET scans, blood tests and ‘paper-and-pencil’ cognitive assessments," he added.

Any future use of at-home screening or testing should be done in a "careful and controlled way," Weber advised.

He added, "When considering any Alzheimer’s- or dementia-related testing, it is important to have a conversation with your healthcare provider to see if you are a candidate."

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The study was funded by the Academy of Medical Sciences and supported by dementia research charity BRACE.

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Could GLP-1 weight-loss medications like Ozempic become the 'everything drug'?

GLP-1 agonists — including semaglutides like Ozempic and Wegovy and tirzepatides like Mounjaro and Zepbound — were originally intended to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity.

But in recent months, studies have shown that these popular medications can have numerous other health benefits.

Some have even claimed that GLP-1s could eventually become the new "everything drug."

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Dr. Angela Fitch, co-founder and chief medical officer of knownwell, a "weight-inclusive" healthcare company based in Boston, said she would caution against labeling any medication as an "everything drug," but agrees that GLP-1s show promise.

"GLP-1s are currently approved for treating obesity, type 2 diabetes, secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease, metabolic associated fatty liver disease, chronic kidney disease in patients with diabetes and sleep apnea," she told Fox News Digital. 

"Further research is necessary to determine their efficacy in treating other chronic conditions."

However, the drugs have shown "notable promise" in areas such as addiction treatment and the improvement of neurological conditions like Alzheimer's, Fitch said.

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"They lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol and decrease visceral adiposity," she said. "They also significantly improve patients' quality of life. They have many clinical indications today and many more to come."

Fitch listed the following primary benefits of GLP-1 medications.

Dr. Brett Osborn, a Florida neurosurgeon and longevity expert, believes that GLP-1s are "here to stay."

"These medications don’t just treat obesity — they’re already showing promise in everything from cardiovascular disease to neurodegenerative disease to addiction," he told Fox News Digital. 

"I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: These are not amenities. They are the holy grail of modern medicine."

The most common side effects of GLP-1 medications are gastrointestinal-related.

Those include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation and bloating, especially during the initial dose escalation period, according to Fitch. 

"These symptoms often improve over time, but can be limiting for some patients," she said. 

Other more serious, though rare, risks include pancreatitis, gallbladder disease and potential kidney injury — particularly if severe dehydration occurs due to vomiting, the expert cautioned.

Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, has previously warned of GLP-1s’ side effects.

"Not everyone tolerates them well, and we don't have a complete handle yet on long-term side effects," he told Fox News Digital at the time.

"I certainly think they are useful — and can think of many situations where they decrease risks of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer as well as the need for bariatric surgery — but they are surely not one-size-fits-all and are mostly not first-line therapy."

Not all GLP-1 receptor agonists are the same, Fitch cautioned. 

"While they all act on the same basic pathway, their efficacy, side effect profiles and cardiovascular benefits can vary significantly," she told Fox News Digital. 

Semaglutide, such as Ozempic and Wegovy, is currently considered the most potent GLP-1 for both weight loss and glycemic control, Fitch said, with evidence for cardiovascular benefit in people with type 2 diabetes and obesity. 

Semaglutide was also just approved as a treatment for MASH (Metabolic dysfunction–Associated SteatoHepatitis, a serious type of fatty liver disease). 

"Tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound) is a dual GIP/GLP-1 agonist and has shown even greater weight loss in trials with a similar side effect profile," Fitch said.

"Tirzepatide is approved for sleep apnea and is undergoing clinical trials for other indications."

Based on his own clinical experience, Osborn reiterated that in many cases, tirzepatide is a "superior agent."

"It’s a dual incretin, meaning it targets two biochemical pathways," he told Fox News Digital. "Not surprisingly, therefore, for patients who plateau on Wegovy, Zepbound often jump-starts weight loss."

GLP-1s are not a "magic bullet," Fitch pointed out, noting that diet, exercise, sleep and behavioral changes are still essential to reaping the full benefits.

"Before taking GLP-1s, people should also know that side effects are common, and consistent clinical care and oversight is required to ensure safety and efficacy," she advised. 

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"It is not something that people should just access via a form on the internet and treat themselves without good, comprehensive, longitudinal care."

For chronic conditions like obesity or type 2 diabetes, Fitch recommends long-term or even indefinite use as the best approach. 

"Lowering the dose may become a viable maintenance strategy once a healthy weight is reached, though this approach is still under study," she said. 

"Patients should consult their doctor to determine what course of action is best according to their specific needs."

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Anyone who is interested in starting a GLP-1 medication should consult with a doctor to discuss potential benefits and risks.

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Drinking specific vegetable juice could reduce older adults’ blood pressure, study finds

Beetroot juice, which is rich in nitrates, has been linked to changing the community of bacteria living in the mouth.

Now, a new study has found that drinking this juice could reduce older adults’ blood pressure.

Researchers at the University of Exeter compared the response of both younger and older participants to the juice and published the study in Free Radical Biology and Medicine.

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Thirty-nine participants under age 30, plus 36 individuals in their 60s and 70s, were split into two separate two-week phases.

One group consumed nitrate-rich beetroot juice shots daily, while the other group — a placebo group — received a version without nitrates. Each group had a "wash-out period" between phases to reset their systems.

Researchers practiced bacterial gene sequencing to identify which microbes were present in the participants’ mouths before and after each treatment.

Older adults who drank nitrate-rich beetroot juice had fewer mouth bacteria called Prevotella, which is linked to inflammation, and more helpful bacteria like Neisseria.

Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel told Fox News Digital that nitrates lead to lower blood pressure by improving flexibility, decreasing resistance in blood vessels and lowering inflammation. 

The patients started the study with higher blood pressure, which went down after the beetroot juice — but blood pressure didn’t change with those in the placebo group.

"We know that foods that are high in dietary nitrates such as leafy greens, beets and lettuce can help lower blood pressure," said Siegel.

He added, "Nitrates are converted to nitric oxide by your body. Nitric oxide is a key molecule in vascular health as it promotes the vessels to dilate and thus reduces blood pressure."

Co-author Andy Jones, a professor at the University of Exeter, said in a press release that the study shows that "nitrate-rich foods alter the oral microbiome in a way that could result in less inflammation, as well as a lowering of blood pressure in older people."

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Lee Beniston, an associate director of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, said the "research is a great example of how bioscience can help us better understand the complex links between diet, the microbiome and healthy aging."

"By uncovering how dietary nitrate affects oral bacteria and blood pressure in older adults, the study opens up new opportunities for improving vascular health through nutrition," Beniston added.

Both researchers shared that more research is needed. 

Siegel noted that "as we age, our levels of bioavailable nitric oxide lower, so it makes sense that we see more of a benefit in consuming dietary nitrates in older patients." 

He said the study does support the well-established belief that a good diet, high in fresh fruits and vegetables, can help manage many chronic medical conditions.

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Anyone with high blood pressure or other medical conditions should check with doctors or medical experts before making dietary changes. The same applies to those taking medication.

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Dementia risk slashed with one common health intervention, study finds

Addressing hearing loss early on may significantly reduce the risk of dementia, a recent study found. 

Adults with hearing loss who reported wearing hearing aids before they were 70 years old cut their risk of dementia by more than half, compared to those with hearing loss who did not wear hearing devices, according to research recently published in JAMA Neurology.

Participants with hearing loss  who wore hearing aids had a 61% lower risk for "incident all-cause dementia," the researchers wrote.

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Individuals under 70 years old who did not have hearing loss had a 29% lower risk for dementia in comparison to those with untreated hearing loss, according to the study authors.

However, the same benefit was not seen in those 70 years or older at the time of the hearing tests.

Researchers from the University of Texas, University of Pittsburgh, Boston University and several others looked at data from 2,953 participants in the Framingham Heart study, a long-term project that tracked the health of participants and their children.

For two decades, they followed participants aged 60 or older who did not have a diagnosis of dementia when they underwent hearing tests.

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The researchers found that 20% of the participants ultimately developed dementia, and of this group 42% were under the age of 70 when they completed the hearing assessment.

"This finding highlights the importance of early intervention for [hearing loss] for possible prevention of dementia," the researchers stated.

The researchers noted that only 17% of individuals with moderate to severe hearing loss use hearing devices.

Dr. Gayatri Devi, M.D., a neurologist at Northwell’s Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, told Fox News Digital that "40% of dementia cases are preventable with modifiable risk factors, such as correcting hearing loss, which promotes socializing, another separate variable associated with dementia prevention."

The doctor, who was not affiliated with the study, noted that treating hearing loss is "an excellent and simple way" not only to prevent dementia, but also to enable people to engage more fully in conversations and improve their quality of life.

Age-related hearing loss is a known risk factor for developing dementia, according to Devi and other health experts.

"Maintaining good brain health as we age requires stimulation," Carolyn Bossinas, director of speech and audiology at Northwell Health Phelps Hospital in Sleepy Hollow, New York, told Fox News Digital. 

When someone is not able to hear properly, the brain does not receive adequate information, according to Bossinas, who was also not part of the research.

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Compared to those with typical hearing, individuals with hearing loss are 1.9 times more likely to develop dementia and 2.78 times more likely to have a co-occurring cognitive impairment, the expert said.

These co-occurring impairments may include memory loss, reduced problem-solving, reduced awareness of mistakes and slower rate of processing.

There are signs that a person may be experiencing hearing loss and should see a healthcare professional.

"Generally, when we have trouble hearing in restaurants or in places with loud ambient noise, [it is a] good time to have our hearing checked," Devi said.

Another sign is when someone frequently asks individuals to repeat themselves during conversations.

Early intervention is important, according to Bossinas. People typically adjust more quickly to wearing hearing aids when they have mild hearing loss, she noted, as the change is not as dramatic but can still be very helpful.

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Several adjustments may be required, so she recommends working with an audiologist.

When wearing hearing devices, it’s important to keep them dry, change the batteries (or the device) regularly, clean the device according to the audiologist’s instructions, and perform regular listening checks, the expert added.

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