Debunking 2024 Health Trends: Pimple Patches, Dark Circle Creams and More

About a decade ago, a massage therapist in Santa Cruz, Calif., gave me a lecture on the healing properties of coconut oil.

Once a day, she said, she’d scoop a tablespoon into her mouth and swish it around for 20 minutes. Her gums had never looked healthier, she exclaimed, and she even had fewer colds.

I was in graduate school for science journalism at the time and I knew I should be skeptical. But I thought about the dull pain I sometimes felt between two of my molars, which my dentist warned could eventually turn into gum disease. Maybe this oil thing would help.

For several months, I swished and spat until my jaw hurt. And yet my gums still ached. When my dentist probed them with her metal spike at my next checkup, they didn’t look any better.

Like so many of us, I had given in to the allure of an easy fix. I knew deep down that oil swishing probably wasn’t going to do much for my oral health, but I figured I had already tried regular brushing and flossing — why not this?

In my case, my failed experiment only cost me some time. But other wellness trends can take a big bite out of your wallet — and sometimes even affect your health. This is why we provide expert- and research-backed guidance to help you avoid common traps.

Here are five health trends we looked into this year, with deep reporting on whether they actually work.

1. The Claim: Apple cider vinegar is a cure-all.

You’ve probably seen the videos: People drink a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar swirled into water, with the hope that it will give them a slimmer waistline, clearer skin, a settled stomach and less drastic blood sugar spikes.

Apple cider vinegar has been used as a folk remedy for thousands of years, and a few of its health claims do have a little science to back them up. But for many of the promised benefits, there’s no research at all, experts say.

2. The Claim: Under-eye creams can reverse dark circles.

There’s no shortage of skin care products that promise they will ease or erase the imperfections on our faces. And under-eye brightening creams are a tempting sell in a culture obsessed with youth. But experts say there’s no evidence of their effectiveness, or as one put it bluntly: “I think none of them work.”

So what actually does help minimize dark circles? Read our article to find out.

3. The Claim: Pimple patches will clear your blemishes.

These tiny bandages come in cute shapes and colors, like pastel hearts, circles and stars. On social media, influencers dramatically peel them off before the camera, revealing the goopy remnants of pimples that once were.

Some versions of these patches could help a blemish heal, experts say, but they won’t work on all pimple types — and they certainly aren’t a replacement for a regular skin care routine. And some patches can actually make irritation worse.

4. The Claim: Oil pulling can improve your oral health.

Some influencers — along with my old massage therapist in Santa Cruz — claim that swishing edible oils like coconut, olive, sunflower or sesame around in your mouth for several minutes a day will prevent cavities and gum recession and whiten your teeth.

But scientists and dentists say the evidence is lacking, and if you do it improperly, the practice could leave you with an upset stomach and clogged pipes. (While we’re at it, please don’t use charcoal toothpaste when brushing your teeth — its abrasiveness can wear down your tooth enamel and, over time, increase the risks of cracks, cavities, staining and other issues.)

5. The Claim: Dieting can help you lose weight for the long term.

Remember diets? Those strict eating plans we used to follow before drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro came along?

We asked experts what diets can and can’t do for your health. While they might help you lose a few pounds in the short term, they say, the weight probably won’t stay off for good. And dieting itself can come with real harms. So if you need to lose a little weight, how can you do so effectively without compromising your health? Read on for some tips.