The promises and pitfalls of personalized health

May 15, 2026 Victoria Song

Patient talking to a doctor with a computer for a head.

This is Optimizer, a weekly newsletter sent every Friday from Verge senior reviewer Victoria Song that dissects and discusses the latest gizmos and potions that swear they're going to change your life. Opt in for Optimizer here.

A few days ago, my esthetician was smearing hot wax on my face. The two caterpillars I call eyebrows were in desperate need of taming - as was my lady 'stache. I hate this monthly ritual, but facial hair is a sore spot. Hirsutism is perhaps one of the few visual indicators of a condition that's plagued me for the past decade. Until this week, I've always known it as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Normally, I sp …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Previous Article
The funniest thing about the Trump arcade game is how good it is
The funniest thing about the Trump arcade game is how good it is

This week, a trio of video game cabinets emblazoned with pixel art of Donald Trump and a number of other go...

Next Article
X is fighting Andrew Tate’s attempt to unmask his critics
X is fighting Andrew Tate’s attempt to unmask his critics

X is fighting for its users' right to anonymity against the far-right influencers and accused human traffic...