National Women’s Health Week is May 11 through May 17, 2025. WPBF 25 News teamed up with our Hearst partners at Women’s Health Magazine and a local plastic surgeon to talk about the latest beauty and health trends. Red Light Therapy: You have likely seen Red Light Therapy on social media. Dr. Robin A. Sykes, a plastic surgeon out of Tequesta, says the treatment uses low levels of red light for a variety of things, and it shows a lot of promise for wrinkles, redness and signs of aging.”That is something for the face, for rejuvenation, for improving circulation, stimulating the skin, and you can also use it on the hair,” Sykes said. “Red Light Therapy is also used for things like pain, arthritis, because it is helping with inflammation, and actually even dementia, believe it or not.”Sykes said red light sessions in an office can run from $60 to $80, but a cheaper option is an at-home mask that you can get unlimited use out of. She just says to make sure it is Food and Drug Administration-approved.Mouth Taping: You have likely seen mouth taping on your social media feeds. It is when tape is used to keep your mouth closed while sleeping to promote nose breathing. Some say it can help with snoring, bad breath, allergies, and jawline definition, but experts say mouth taping is not a proven medical therapy, and some give it a zero rating. “If you are actually taping your mouth, you can actually hurt yourself,” said Dr. Robin A. Sykes, a plastic surgeon in Tequesta. “If you sleep like that, you can become obstructed. You are actually not breathing as much as you’d like to.”Sykes says this can be dangerous for some people.Medical experts say this trend on social media can be especially concerning if you have obstructive sleep apnea, a common dangerous sleep disorder that involves a complete or partial collapse of the airway. Doctors say to talk to them before trying anything like this.Collagen: Collagen can be a big part of skincare when it comes to popular trends. Dr. Robin A. Sykes, a plastic surgeon in Tequesta, says applying collagen will help with moisture, but the best way to get collagen into our skin is through diet.”Collagen is just protein,” Sykes said. “Meats or all the proteins that you eat, also can contain collagen, and your body’s going to break those all down when you eat them.”Sykes says bone broth and egg whites are also good, along with foods that contain vitamin C, berries and citrus. Strength Training: Jacqueline Andriakos, the Executive Health and Fitness Director for Women’s Health Magazine, says the biggest message with strength training is that it is essential for healthy aging and vitality.”Muscle is ultimately medicine, and you can extend years to your life,” Andriakos said. “You can move better for longer, you increase, you can move better for longer. You increase by putting on muscle. You increase that metabolic activity at rest, which is helpful for weight management. So you are going to move with more comfort, with more oomph, with more joy by adding resistance training to your routine consistently.”Andriakos said all you need is 60 minutes a week, and even break it down to two 30-minute sessions a week.She said pick five exercises that hit each muscle group, like upper body, lower, a core exercise and even something that gets your heart rate up a bit. Stress: Stress is a regular part of life, and not all stress is bad, but chronic stress lingers and does not go away. It can be linked to digestive issues, headaches and even serious conditions. Abigail Cuffey, Women’s Health Executive Editor, says managing it is actually easier than we might think. She says once you recognize that you are having symptoms, pay attention to your body, and then develop healthy habits addressing those issues. It can be as simple as going for a walk.”Not only will the movement and the activity help with stress levels, but the sunlight and being outside and fresh air,” Abigail Cuffe said. “In nature, we know that that can have a great effect on how you’re feeling.”Cuffey said to think about your diet and eat a lot of produce, lean proteins and foods with nutrients and other vitamins.Cuffey said be careful on social media and the endless scroll and if you can, go into a place where you can just close your eyes for a bit and take a few deep breaths.Cuffey says make time for yourself, do something you love, like watching a show that is going to make you laugh or spending time with a loved one.Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25 Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.
National Women’s Health Week is May 11 through May 17, 2025. WPBF 25 News teamed up with our Hearst partners at Women’s Health Magazine and a local plastic surgeon to talk about the latest beauty and health trends.
Red Light Therapy:
You have likely seen Red Light Therapy on social media. Dr. Robin A. Sykes, a plastic surgeon out of Tequesta, says the treatment uses low levels of red light for a variety of things, and it shows a lot of promise for wrinkles, redness and signs of aging.
“That is something for the face, for rejuvenation, for improving circulation, stimulating the skin, and you can also use it on the hair,” Sykes said. “Red Light Therapy is also used for things like pain, arthritis, because it is helping with inflammation, and actually even dementia, believe it or not.”
Sykes said red light sessions in an office can run from $60 to $80, but a cheaper option is an at-home mask that you can get unlimited use out of. She just says to make sure it is Food and Drug Administration-approved.
Mouth Taping:
You have likely seen mouth taping on your social media feeds. It is when tape is used to keep your mouth closed while sleeping to promote nose breathing. Some say it can help with snoring, bad breath, allergies, and jawline definition, but experts say mouth taping is not a proven medical therapy, and some give it a zero rating.
“If you are actually taping your mouth, you can actually hurt yourself,” said Dr. Robin A. Sykes, a plastic surgeon in Tequesta. “If you sleep like that, you can become obstructed. You are actually not breathing as much as you’d like to.”
Sykes says this can be dangerous for some people.
Medical experts say this trend on social media can be especially concerning if you have obstructive sleep apnea, a common dangerous sleep disorder that involves a complete or partial collapse of the airway. Doctors say to talk to them before trying anything like this.
Collagen:
Collagen can be a big part of skincare when it comes to popular trends. Dr. Robin A. Sykes, a plastic surgeon in Tequesta, says applying collagen will help with moisture, but the best way to get collagen into our skin is through diet.
“Collagen is just protein,” Sykes said. “Meats or all the proteins that you eat, also can contain collagen, and your body’s going to break those all down when you eat them.”
Sykes says bone broth and egg whites are also good, along with foods that contain vitamin C, berries and citrus.
Strength Training:
Jacqueline Andriakos, the Executive Health and Fitness Director for Women’s Health Magazine, says the biggest message with strength training is that it is essential for healthy aging and vitality.
“Muscle is ultimately medicine, and you can extend years to your life,” Andriakos said. “You can move better for longer, you increase, you can move better for longer. You increase by putting on muscle. You increase that metabolic activity at rest, which is helpful for weight management. So you are going to move with more comfort, with more oomph, with more joy by adding resistance training to your routine consistently.”
Andriakos said all you need is 60 minutes a week, and even break it down to two 30-minute sessions a week.
She said pick five exercises that hit each muscle group, like upper body, lower, a core exercise and even something that gets your heart rate up a bit.
Stress:
Stress is a regular part of life, and not all stress is bad, but chronic stress lingers and does not go away. It can be linked to digestive issues, headaches and even serious conditions.
Abigail Cuffey, Women’s Health Executive Editor, says managing it is actually easier than we might think. She says once you recognize that you are having symptoms, pay attention to your body, and then develop healthy habits addressing those issues. It can be as simple as going for a walk.
“Not only will the movement and the activity help with stress levels, but the sunlight and being outside and fresh air,” Abigail Cuffe said. “In nature, we know that that can have a great effect on how you’re feeling.”
Cuffey said to think about your diet and eat a lot of produce, lean proteins and foods with nutrients and other vitamins.
Cuffey said be careful on social media and the endless scroll and if you can, go into a place where you can just close your eyes for a bit and take a few deep breaths.
Cuffey says make time for yourself, do something you love, like watching a show that is going to make you laugh or spending time with a loved one.
Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25
Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.
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