Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Add Upworthy to your Google News feed.
Google News Button

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

Brinlee shared her clever method in a TikTok video that has since gone viral, racking up over 11.5 million views. The clip shows 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.

TikTok | @brinleemiles

"This is how I sent my husband to the dermatologist," Brinlee captioned the video. "And this is how she sent him back."

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."

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

"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.

More For You

brielle, the greatest showman, talent show audition

Brielle sings "A Million Dreams" from 'The Greatest Showman' for talent show audition.

briestrongerthancancer/Instagram

Girl with cancer sings emotional 'Greatest Showman' song for talent show audition

Second grader Brielle Bird, 9, has the voice of a songbird. Brielle is currently battling cancer, stage 4 neuroblastoma, for the second time following a relapse in January 2024. And despite her physical challenges, she did not let it stop her from auditioning for her school's talent show.

In an emotional video shared on Instagram, Brielle sang "A Million Dreams" from The Greatest Showman, just a few days after receiving bad new from her doctors. "When you’re tired, I’ll keep fighting for you!" Brielle's mom Kendra wrote in the video's caption.

Keep ReadingShow less
man sleeping with hat on face

Paradoxically, sleep is necessary for staying up longer

Photo by Jon Robinson on Unsplash

The 4-step sleep survival plan soldiers use to power through exhaustion

For those serving in the military, time is of the essence. Small things, like an effectively timed nap or an efficient, minutes-saving body temperature technique can mean the difference between life or death when you’re out in the field.

And while many civilians will, fortunately, never find themselves in such extreme circumstances, there is so much we can learn from the military and its ruthless efficiency. Because whether it’s taking a power nap or falling asleep in exactly two minutes, not only are the military’s tactics the most productive way to do things, they’re also usually the most safe.

Keep ReadingShow less
Man soaking in a large pool or tub
man floating on water
Photo by Logan Stone on Unsplash

Why Japan swears by night bathing, and why you might want to switch

Can bathing at night actually be a form of luxurious self-care?

While the debate over showering in the morning versus at night rages on (Dr. Jason Singh, a medical expert on TikTok says “Overall, night-time showers have more benefits to it but morning showers have really one benefit—and that’s better hygiene.”), there is one place in the world where the consensus is clear: Night-time bathing is the GOAT.

Welcome to Japan.

Keep ReadingShow less
A man covered in the circles his wife drew on his skin, calling attention to his moles.

It might seem like an odd idea, but this trick has a real shot to save lives.

TikTok | @brinleemiles

His wife sent him to the dermatologist covered in circles—turns out, she may have saved his life

Brinlee Miles wasn’t taking any chances. The 20-year-old from Utah had seen her husband Ryan’s family history with skin cancer and knew a proper skin check was overdue. Noticing a few concerning moles on his back and chest, she picked up a pen and marked the ones she thought the dermatologist should look at.

What she didn’t expect was for the dermatologist to follow her lead—adding their own notes next to her circles after the exam.

Keep ReadingShow less
happy woman, happiness, happiness list
woman sitting on brown wooden chair while using silver laptop computer in room
Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash

The simple happiness list one woman swears by is helping others too

Happiness can be a fleeting feeling. But on bad mental health days, finding 'glimmers' of happiness can make you feel a lot better. While techniques like meditating or journaling can offer mental health benefits, they can be hard practices to get into.

Which is why TikToker Jacey Adler (@jaceyadler) searched for an easier way to improve her mental health. So she turned to a different ritual: creating a daily "happiness list", taking note of any and everything that makes her happy as she goes about her day as an act of practicing gratitude. And she shared with her TikTok followers more details about how she does it.

Keep ReadingShow less