I spent £4,000 on my smile — and yes, a good smile beats Botox
I am vainly proud of my newly straight, newly whitened teeth. But they have come at a cost: about four grand, to be precise. Which is why I was ruefully amused to learn that smiling is considered a cheap alternative to Botox when it comes to looking more attractive.
A recent study found that the perceived attractiveness of people receiving Botox or dermal fillers increased, on average, by just 0.07 points on a seven-point scale — so if you were rated a 4 out of 7 before it, you'd be a 4.07 afterwards. Smiling, by contrast, improves attractiveness by 0.4 points on the same scale — an effect nearly six times greater than Botox.
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Telegraph
20 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Fat jab price rise could fuel surge in dangerous fakes
Experts have warned people against trying to beat the Mounjaro price rise by turning to black market weight-loss jabs. Dealers are importing the copycat drugs from Chinese labs and selling them on social media and in beauty salons. Drug crime specialists expect a rise in the number of illicit sales in the wake of 170 per cent price rises due to Donald Trump's tariffs, designed to make medications cheaper for Americans. Steroid dealers have reacted to the cost of private weight-loss injections and NHS supply bottlenecks by turning to the black market. Chinese laboratories can imitate the real drugs and sell them online for as little as £1.50 a vial, with dealers buying them in bulk and selling them on for profit. Mounjaro, the weight-loss medication made by Eli Lilly, has increased in price to as much as £330 for a month's supply. The US-based company's product is the most effective injection on the market. Dr Luke Turnock, a criminologist at the University of Lincoln who specialises in the sale of enhancement drugs, warned that this would see many people turn to imported imitations sold cheaply online. 'I would definitely expect the price rise to lead to more people looking to the illicit market,' he told The Telegraph. 'If you're paying £330 for a prescription and you see something advertised for £110, then you would think it would be stupid to keep going and getting this private prescription.' A study by Dr Turnock found that one company allegedly sells replicas of both semaglutide and tirzepatide, known commercially as Wegovy and Mounjaro, made by Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, respectively. But with these drugs now regulated in the UK it is technically a crime to sell them and as a result the number of fake versions available online has diminished. Next-generation weight-loss jab However, the laboratories have pivoted to selling imitation retatrutide, a next-generation weight-loss jab still in clinical trials. Also made by Eli Lilly, retatrutide could be Mounjaro's big brother and is potentially the most powerful weight-loss drug yet as a result of its triple-threat mechanism, which targets three pathways in the body. Ozempic – a drug for type 2 diabetes – works on just one, and Mounjaro only hits two of the three. Online marketing shows retatrutide to be the most effective fat injection, but it is not yet proven safe or effective. Early clinical trial data suggest it is also able to speed up how much fat a person's body burns as well as suppressing appetite and slowing down stomach emptying. But the drug is as yet unauthorised and unregulated and this provides a loophole for the Chinese laboratories who can sell their product under the guise of a 'research chemical'.
The Guardian
4 hours ago
- The Guardian
Puppy fat jabs: are our pets next in line for weight-loss drugs?
Where humans lead, their dogs tend to follow – now it seems that might even apply to weight-loss wonder drugs. Medications such as Wegovy have become ubiquitous among people hoping to shed pounds quickly. But businesses keen to cash in on the science behind the weight-loss jabs are now investigating other applications for the drugs, and our four-legged friends could be the next in line for a slimming solution. The active ingredients in the drugs mimic a hormone called GLP-1, which makes people want to eat less. One biotech firm has just announced trials for an implant that reproduces the effect in dogs, with the aim of bringing it to the market as soon as 2028. The hope is that the same science can be used to quell the voracious appetite of some dog breeds that can lead to them piling on the pounds. While experts say such medications could be beneficial for some overweight animals, their use outside of humans is not without complication or the potential for controversy. What is not contentious is that pet weight is a real issue for many owners. Neutering, age, a lack of activity and overfeeding are among the factors that can contribute to the problem. According to a 2024 report by the trade body UK Pet Food, 50% of dogs and 43% of cats are overweight. Excess weight can shorten the lifespan of pets and reduce their quality of life; tubby cats, for instance, face a greater risk of problems including diabetes, urinary tract issues and cancer, while overweight canines are more likely to have to contend with conditions such as arthritis, heart disease, breathing problems and cancer. Commonly recommended solutions are increased exercise and strict prescription diets that are high in fibre and protein but low in calories. Dr Eleanor Raffan, a veterinary surgeon and expert in canine genetics and obesity at the University of Cambridge, said some good old-fashioned discipline should be the first option. 'I would [advise] owners, both for the benefit of their pockets, and possibly for the benefit of their pets, to try modifying their dog's diet and exercise regime first, because I think we know that that can be safe and effective if done well,' she said. 'But if that fails, or if there's an urgent need to get weight loss, then I see no reason why using [GLP-1 mimic] drugs shouldn't be a reasonable option, so long as they are tested in proper, prospective, well-designed, randomised clinical trials before being widely offered in practice.' A strong selling point of the medication is that it helps pet owners navigate one of the biggest obstacles to pet weight loss: what many vets describe as 'pester power', or, to put it another way, humans' inability to say no to their loyal companions. 'What our research shows in our group … is that that if you have a very foodie dog, you have to work much harder,' she said. 'You have to really resist the big brown eye treatment and that can be really hard in our busy lives today.' Appetite suppressants may help stop the kind of begging that most pet owners are familiar with, but they come with one major drawback: that a pet's appetite is often an important marker of their health. Some experts worry that if humans are unable to tell if their animal has stopped eating because they are unwell or because the weight loss drugs are doing their job, it could prove dangerous. 'If cats stop eating for a few days, they can develop a condition called hepatic lipidosis and other problems, which can be life threatening,' said Raffan. Michael Klotsman is the chief executive of Okava, one of the companies developing a long-acting implant called OKV-119 that contains a GLP-1 mimic called exenatide. He said behavioural changes from OKV-119 were quite different from illness-related appetite loss. 'What owners should expect to see is their pet eating appropriate portions without the previous food obsession – they'll still eat regularly and show interest in meals, just without the excessive begging, scavenging or gulping behaviour,' he said. The company is planning trials in dogs, and hopes to launch its implant commercially in 2028 or 2029. Klotsman said: 'OKV-119 represents an additional tool for veterinarians treating pets where conventional approaches have been insufficient, similar to how GLP-1 therapies have provided new hope for human patients struggling with obesity despite their best efforts with diet and exercise.' Prof Peter Sandøe, of the University of Copenhagen and the director of the Danish Centre for the Study of Companion Animal Welfare, said such drugs could potentially help some pets, such as food-obsessed dogs. However, he added, if owners were concerned enough about their pet's weight to consider such medications, then there were many other – probably cheaper – options they could try, from activity feeders to extra walks, microchip-controlled feeders, and switching out treats for fun and games. 'Why take the medical solution if there's some other solutions that actually might be better for both human and animal welfare?' he said.
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Wendy Williams finally responds to shocking dementia test results
Wendy Williams has finally responded to claims about her health that went public this week, in connection with her new medical evaluation. The former daytime TV queen has been living at a luxury assisted-living facility in New York since being placed under court-ordered guardianship in 2022. The legal arrangement, which gave control of her personal and financial affairs to a court-appointed guardian, came after her bank flagged concerns about her mental health and potential financial exploitation. Williams was diagnosed in 2023 with frontotemporal dementia and aphasia, but she insists she's not incapacitated and wants out of the guardianship, claiming she's being controlled against her will. Results from her new medical evaluation — described as involving 'a significant number of tests, both medical and neuropsychological, and scans including brain imaging' — prompted doctors to issue an opinion regarding Williams' neurological condition and diagnosis, according to legal documents obtained by People on Tuesday. While the paperwork itself does not explicitly list her condition, sources claimed the exams confirmed Williams has frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and aphasia - and now she has issued a retort to the allegation. She declared this Saturday that her attorneys were 'highly upset' about the recent coverage surrounding her present state of health, via Page Six. Williams was also asked if she wanted to say anything to her guardian Sabrina Morrissey, but replied only that 'I want to say hi to my attorneys, Allan Diamond and Joe Tacopina. And I will get out of guardianship.' She made the remarks while arriving for dinner at the New York restaurant Tucci's, arm in arm with the eatery's owner Max Tucci. In the new documents, an attorney representing Morrissey requested that the court extend the guardianship for an additional three months, setting a proposed end date of November 5. The attorney also noted that 'complications have arisen' because various parties — including counsel for certain family members, Williams' ex-husband, and others — have indicated plans to challenge both the guardianship itself and Ms. Morrissey's role as guardian. The news came almost a month after Williams and powerhouse attorney Joe Tacopina were spotted outside Scott's restaurant in NYC, where they confirmed a lawsuit is coming. 'Those responsible for her status, her, basically, incarceration, will be held accountable,' Tacopina told TMZ. 'There's no question about that.' Results from her new medical evaluation — described as involving 'a significant number of tests, both medical and neuropsychological, and scans including brain imaging' — prompted doctors to issue an opinion regarding Williams' neurological condition and diagnosis, according to legal documents; (seen in 2019) He didn't hold back, adding: 'This guardian process is scary. She was misdiagnosed.' 'What's next is hopefully justice,' Tacopina continued. 'This process has been so long, it's really despicably slow.' Then, gesturing toward Wendy, he added, 'This is Wendy, the same Wendy, we've had conversation over six months, she's the same Wendy Williams that you know from TV. She belongs in a facility like I belong in a facility.' 'She is a person in control of her faculties and is a great human being… and it sickens me… this isn't a case for me, it's a cause…' Wendy jumped in with a laugh, saying, 'I just had a birthday and I'm still in a guardianship. If that doesn't say enough, I don't know what does.' Tacopina wrapped it up with a clear mission: 'My goal for now and the priority is to get her back home.' He added, 'Wherever home is… where she can come and go as she pleases.' Wendy was placed under the guardianship of Sabrina Morrissey in 2022—and in a bombshell court filing last November, Morrissey claimed Williams was 'permanently incapacitated' due to her dementia battle. In March, Wendy made a bold move by retaining a new legal team to fight for her freedom and challenge the court-ordered arrangement. The star hired Tacopina - who recently represented A$AP Rocky - to help secure her freedom from her three-year conservatorship. Since then, a #FreeWendy movement has gained momentum. In a dramatic moment caught on camera in early April, Williams was seen banging on her facility window while supporters rallied in the street below, demanding she be released.
