“It’s Like Losing a Body Part”: Why Alopecia is More Than Just Hair Loss
Dr. Brett King, a dermatologist at Yale University, explains how one new FDA-approved treatment is the first systemic therapy for severe alopecia.
Why Doctors Say A “Healthy Tan” Doesn’t Exist
Even a ‘healthy glow’ means our cells have already been damaged, and the sun isn’t the only problem. Dr. Shadi Kourosh discusses how factors like air pollution and digital screens can also harm our skin.
Eczema in Infancy: A Gateway for Allergies and Asthma
Doctors have learned that childhood allergies and asthma may have their start in dry, dysfunctional skin in infancy, when allergens such as food particles enter the body through cracks in the skin. A noted pediatric allergist discusses this ”atopic march” and ways to combat it.
Nail Biting
Nail biting is an extremely common habit, but some people bite their nails so badly and so often that they suffer damage to their hands. Experts discuss why so many of us are driven to bite our nails, what can be done to stop it, and the damage that can occur when we can’t stop.
Medical Notes: July 11, 2021
Officials are worried we may start seeing a spike in Covid cases soon and it could become serious by fall. Then, Have you lost your sense of smell? Covid may not be to blame--it could be air pollution. Then, doctors can now use smartphone cameras to detect bacteria on the skin and in the mouth. And finally, for people suffering from hard-to-treat …
Medical Notes: Week of May 16, 2021
A study showing that even Covid survivors who were never sick enough to be hospitalized have a 60 percent higher risk of death from other diseases. Then Most people assume that smoke from wildfires affects mostly the heart and lungs, but a new study finds that it increases the odds of eczema as well. And finally… more than a year after the first reports of …
Melanoma Advances
Fifteen years ago, advanced melanoma was usually lethal. But new treatments harnessing the immune system have increased survival so much that researchers haven’t completely been able to quantify it.
Medical Notes: Week of December 8, 2019
A study showing all those messages about protecting yourself from the sun may be sinking in. Then, new studies in the journal “Pediatrics” could provide reassurance that the HPV vaccine is safe, and finally, with the new year not far away, more Americans are trying to lose weight.
Medical Notes: Week of November 24, 2019
A study in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology shows that people with conditions such as eczema, atopic dermatitis and psoriasis are often made miserable by itching. Those with itch were more than twice as likely to be depressed and nearly twice as likely to have suicidal thoughts as controls without those conditions.
Nail Biting
Nail biting is an extremely common habit, but some people bite their nails so badly and so often that they suffer damage to their hands. Experts discuss why so many of us are driven to bite our nails, what can be done to stop it, and the damage that can occur when we can’t stop.
Medical Notes: Week of June 16, 2019
A study showing the dangers of car seats. Kids are eating less fish than ever. How do VA benefits differ by gender? Is antibiotic use for acne a mistake? And finally, it's beneficial to base your workout routine on your personality.
Dupuytren’s Disease: Crippler of Hands
Dupuytren's disease (pronounced DOO-pah-tren) is the most common disorder crippling hands that most people have never heard of. It is a genetic condition of the fascia beneath the skin of the palms, and it stubbornly resists treatment. An expert and a patient discuss the disorder.
