When you’re going through puberty, it’s easy to believe one of the perks of adulthood is not having a pizza face. But alas, adulthood disappoints once again, because, for many of us, acne returns with a vengeance in our postpubertal years — in fact, studies indicate that...
It’s easy to convince yourself that all the soap and shampoo cascading down your legs is enough to clean your feet when you’re rushing blearily through your morning shower. But is that really true? Chemist and product wiz, Fadi Mourad, took us through the science of how...
Contact lens manufacturers take all the guesswork out of determining how long each lens can be worn: Look right on the box, where the lifespan is clearly spelled out. Done, question answered. But for reasons of frugality, laziness, curiosity or our unwavering desire to push the human...
In the battle against the elements, it’s one of life’s cruel jokes that our lips, one of the most exposed areas of our bodies to the sun, wind and cold (let alone our penchant for idle talk, a salty snack or a chance at first base), is...
We can all expect to resemble raisins someday—it’s unfortunately just a natural part of human aging. What’s happening to our skin that causes it to wrinkle, though? And is there really anything we can do to slow that process? Dermatologist Shari Lipner gave us the lowdown. “Wrinkles...
In this edition of It’s Not a Stupid Question, we’re looking at vibrating—a sensation many of us have experienced at the hands of a massage chair or perhaps something a little more personal. But what is it about jiggling that feels simultaneously soothing and stimulating at the...
Mouths are home to many odd sensations, but perhaps one of the strangest is the instant freeze that occurs when following a minty stick of gum with a gulp of cold water. Therefore, in this edition of It’s Not a Stupid Question, we ask why the heck...
Welcome back to It’s Not a Stupid Question. Cleaning out the refrigerator is one of those tasks that’s easy to ignore, since it’s a mess that’s literally kept behind closed doors. But ask any one of the 48 million Americans—or one-sixth of the population—who get sick from...
As recently as the late 1990s, the idea that someone would ever take a nap in their office was outlandish enough to become a story arc on Seinfeld. But these days, more and more people are making the case for a quick siesta at work. The benefits...
Perhaps the universe’s most universal truth is that having a single foot sticking out from under the covers is the most comfortable sleeping position. For some reason, curling up completely under the covers is too hot, and throwing the covers off is too cold, but having one...
As long as you don’t burn, suntanning isn’t bad for you, right? Unfortunately, that’s not quite how it works. “There’s no such thing as a safe tan,” according to dermatologist Anthony Rossi, who took us through the unhealthy relationship between UV rays and our skin to explain...
Pollen should be harmless to us humans. Tiny flower powder that bumble bees carry around in their adorable knee-pockets? Pshh, what harm could that do? But if you’re one of the unfortunate 8% of American adults who suffers from hayfever, you’ll know just what a harbinger of...
