The promises and pitfalls of personalized health

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.