Brinlee Miles wasn’t about to leave anything to chance. The 20-year-old from Utah knew her husband, Ryan Miles, needed a thorough checkup at the dermatologist, especially given his family history with skin cancer. Concerned about a few moles on his back and chest, she took matters into her own hands—literally—by grabbing a pen and circling the spots she thought needed attention.
To her surprise, the dermatologist not only acknowledged her efforts but responded in kind, marking the moles with notes after examining them.
A viral approach to skin health
Moles on man's back circled with a penReddit
Brinlee shared her clever method in a TikTok video that quickly went viral, racking up over 11.5 million views. In the clip, she showed Ryan standing in front of the camera with his marked-up torso, ready for his appointment. The next scene features him holding a piece of paper from the dermatologist, followed by a reveal of the doctor’s own markings on his body—four moles deemed “good” and two sent for biopsy.
"This is how I sent my husband to the dermatologist," Brinlee captioned the video. "And this is how she sent him back."
A dermatologist inspects a man's backCanva
Her approach was a hit with medical professionals and everyday people alike, many of whom flooded the comment section with support.
A proactive approach pays off
Speaking to BuzzFeed, Brinlee explained why she decided to take such a proactive stance.
"The [mole] on his chest contained cancer cells in the early stages and needs to be removed soon."
— Brinlee Miles
She explained, "We had been watching some spots on him previously, so I had just circled the ones we were worried about to see if the doctor was concerned about those spots as well... especially the ones on his back that he couldn’t see very well to point out."
A dermatologist circles the moles on a man's back with a penCanva
The results confirmed her instincts were right. The mole on Ryan’s chest contained cancer cells in the early stages and would need to be removed soon. The one on his back appeared normal, but the doctor wanted to monitor it for changes.
Medical professionals approve
As it turns out, Brinlee's method isn't uncommon. Many dermatology professionals chimed in, saying they often see husbands arriving with markings from their wives.
"As a Derm nurse, we love when this happens!! Good job looking out."
— Janae Walker
A nurse talks with a male patientCanva
"I work in Derm and you’d be surprised how many women send their husbands covered in circles," one TikTok user shared. Another added, "I've been in derm for 15+ years & I've seen this many times! (It's never the wife with circles, though, lol)."
Even dermatology nurses joined the conversation. "As a Derm nurse, we love when this happens!! Good job looking out," wrote Janae Walker. Another user, Jozzzz, commented, "I work in dermatology and this happens at least twice a week—husband comes in with circles saying his wife is the only reason he’s there."
A lifesaving habit
While some may have found humor in the situation, others saw the deeper message: proactive skin checks save lives.
"As a person who lost my husband to melanoma, THANK YOU for getting skin checks!!!"
— TikTok user
"As someone covered in moles everywhere, this is legit a good idea. If I've got a weird one on my back, I likely won't know lol," one user wrote. Another, Shianne Jennings, backed up Brinlee's method from a professional standpoint. "As someone who works for a dermatologist, we always recommend this! We have so many male patients that say, 'I don't know, my wife saw something back there.'"
Taking action can make all the difference.
Brinlee's approach might have seemed playful at first, but it helped catch a potential health risk before it became something more serious. Regular skin checks, whether done alone or with a partner's help, can lead to early detection and better outcomes. If you've been meaning to check in with a dermatologist, now might be the perfect time.
This article originally appeared earlier this year.
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21 products that are gaslighting us into thinking they’re essential when they’re not
Some things in life are actually necessary—clean water, decent healthcare, basic human decency. But then there are the things that feel like they’re gaslighting us. The things we’re told we can’t live without, even though we survived just fine before they existed. Things like "smart" fridges, lawn fertilizer services, and yes—whole body deodorant.
Recently, our sister-site Upworthy asked their Facebook audience the question: What's a product or service that feels like it's gaslighting all of us into thinking it's necessary? More than 8,000 responses poured in. The answers were passionate, funny, and surprisingly unified.
Here are 21 products, services, and systems people called out for pretending to be essential—when they might actually be optional, overpriced, or flat-out invented.
1. Whole body deodorant
"Take a shower," said Shannon H.
“How did we ever manage all those years without it!! 😂😵💫” added Karen R.
Others noted it may help people with medical conditions—but for the average person, it's definitely a marketing creation.
2. Health insurance
It topped the list. Erica L. explained: “My doctor prescribes, the pharmacist issues meds, nurses care for people, surgeons do surgery—Health Insurance stands between health care and patients and says no, exclusively on whether they think it’s financially effective to treat you.”
Important note: Health insurance can provide life-saving access for many—but what people are frustrated by here is the profit-first system, not care itself.
3. The wedding industry
Multiple people slammed the high cost of modern weddings.
JoElla B. put it plainly: “We spend too much time and money planning one day, and not enough thought on how to blend two lives in a mutually beneficial one.”
Others called out expensive dresses, venues, and pressure to perform for social media.
4. Bottled water
Carole D. said: “Water in plastic bottles! Get a cup!”
While bottled water has value in emergencies, it’s often just filtered tap water—sold for profit in plastic.
5. Baby product overload
“Most baby products,” wrote Kelli O. “They really aren’t as needy and complicated as companies want us to think.”
6. Fabric softener
“It’s bad for clothes, bad for the Earth, bad for the wallet, and totally unnecessary,” said Gail H.
Some experts agree—many softeners contain chemicals that can reduce fabric lifespan and irritate skin.
7. Smart appliances
“Adding ‘phone controls’ to every appliance instead of making them last as long as they used to,” wrote Sherry S.
When your fridge needs a software update, something’s gone off the rails.
8. Makeup and anti-aging products
“Anything anti-aging,” said Melissa T., “Please just let me age into the gargoyle I was meant to become.”
Others questioned products designed to “fix” eyelashes, eyebrows, pores, and graying hair.
April S. added, “Products that women are convinced they MUST have in order to be ‘beautiful’ and therefore ‘loved.’”
9. Cosmetic surgery
Ron P. called out the industry as a whole. And while body autonomy matters, many commenters questioned whether insecurities are being commodified and sold back to us.
10. Ticketmaster and “convenience fees”
“Let’s go back to waiting in line at a record store,” wrote Nicole C.
Zaida B. added: “Convenience fee for online purchases—then charging $10 more at the actual event.”
11. Engagement rings
James P. didn’t mince words: “Engagement rings.”
The diamond industry has long been criticized for manufactured scarcity and marketing-fueled necessity.
12. Lawn chemicals and services
“Plant native grasses and you don’t have the pests or need for constant watering,” wrote Jamie B.
Environmental groups have raised similar concerns over runoff and unnecessary pesticide use.
13. AI and generative tech
“This stuff squeezes the lifeblood and individuality out of the human experience,” said Teresa L.
Saskia D. and others echoed skepticism about its necessity, even as many of us are being pushed to use it.
14. Funeral services
Amy W. shared: “My parents both have already paid to have themselves cremated and are very adamant that they do not want anything big done for them. In their words, ‘I won’t care, I’m dead.’”
Of course, some families find comfort in tradition—but the cost and pressure can feel overwhelming and predatory.
15. Rinse and repeat
Amy D. nailed it: “It’s just to sell more. Not even sure you need it at all.”
16. Credit Card Surcharges
Shawn S. took aim at the extra fees popping up at checkout: “That is the cost of doing business and shouldn’t be the burden of the purchaser.”
Many questioned why customers are increasingly being asked to pay extra simply for the convenience of using a card.
17. Constant phone upgrades
“Apple are notorious for releasing the same shit every year,” said Steph S.
Diana H. added, “Needing to upgrade our phones so frequently.”
Built-in obsolescence and marketing cycles drive most of the demand.
18. Vitamins and supplements
“If I took every supplement they say I NEED I wouldn’t need food. Nor could I afford it,” said Tausha L.
19. Fake pockets on women’s pants
Jessica W. said, “I have to buy men’s pants for work because women’s pants would just get torn up too fast!”
Form over function, and then they charge more for it.
20. Disposable everything
“The ‘convenience’ of disposable everything,” said Rick R.
It’s killing the planet—and draining wallets.
21. Tipping
“I’m sick of supplementing for corporations that refuse to pay a living wage,” wrote Susan V.
Tipping culture has evolved into something far removed from its original intent, and for many, it now feels like a burden shifted onto the customer.
The bigger picture
People aren’t saying all these things should vanish tomorrow. But when we start seeing convenience sold as necessity, and insecurity turned into billion-dollar markets, it's worth asking: who benefits from all of this?
And more importantly—who pays?
This article originally appeared earlier this year.