Why am I breaking out from hair removal?

 

dermatlas.med.jhmi.edu

Many men and women commonly develop bumps around the hair follicles related to various hair removal techniques including waxing, threading, sugaring, and shaving.  These inflammatory bumps occur for three main reasons:

1. immediate inflammation from the hair removal process that irritates the hair follicle
2. ingrown hairs that curl and get trapped under the surface of the skin; this is a result of delayed inflammation that occurs several days after the hair removal process as the hairs grow in.

Medications and Pregnancy

Pregnant women often come in to see the dermatologist as flares of acne or various rashes are very common during pregnancy. As dermatologists, we must pay close attention to what medications we prescribe for obvious reasons. Typically, we advocate avoiding all medications during the first trimester in which most major development of the fetus occurs.  In certain extreme cases, exceptions may be made but only in the setting of working in close conjunction with the patient’s obstetrician. After the first trimester, certain medications may be used; the safest categories are labeled as A or B.

Allergic To Married Life?

Not uncommonly, many of my newlywed patients come in complaining of a characteristic rash on the ring finger which is very dry, itchy, uncomfortable, and just won’t go away.  They joke that they are allergic to marriage, but luckily, that is not true! They are, however, allergic to or at least irritated by their wedding ring. This is a condition called “ring dermatitis” and can be a real annoyance.

The ABC”s of Nutrition: Vitamin C

Back in the 1500’s-1800’s, it was found that sailors who traveled long distances aboard their ships were developing a constellation of strange symptoms that resulted in profound illness and death. Amazingly, the symptoms were curable by increasing the intake of limes and citrus fruits!  Why was this?

Duct Tape Therapy For Warts: Does it work?

 

What is a wart and how did I get it?

Warts are bumpy growths that occur in the skin and are caused by a virus known as human papilloma virus or HPV. They can be acquired from skin to skin contact or indirectly by contacting contaminated objects such as bathroom floors, razors, and gym equipment. Patients often come in for treatment because they are concerned about the appearance of the wart, spreading, and sometimes discomfort.

The ABC’s of Nutrition: Understanding Vitamin B

Vitamin B is actually a complex of eight distinct vitamins: thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine,  biotin, folic acid and cobalamin (B12). Several of the Vitamin B’s are important in skin nutrition. While overt deficiencies of the vitamin B’ are rare, we can deduce the importance of these vitamins in skin health by looking at the symptoms of deficiencies of these vitamins:

The Model’s Secret Revealed: Cortisone Shots for Acne Cysts

What is a cyst?

One manifestation of acne that can be both painful and distressing is the acne  cyst. These are larger balls of inflammation that occur deeper in the skin and can persist for several weeks. They are often very painful nodules and because they persist for so long, these cysts can add up and produce great cosmetic concern.

What is MRSA?

By now, many of you have heard of something called “Mersa” …. well, technically it’s MRSA or methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus. “Staph” as it is commonly called, is a ubiquitous bacteria that causes skin infections such as impetigo (yellow crusted patches on the skin) or abscesses (large boil-like lesions).

The ABC’s of Skin Nutrition: Vitamin A

Many people have heard that carrots are very important for good vision. This is because carrots are rich in beta carotene. These molecules are converted by the body into vitamin A which is very important for the retina of the eye.

Navigating your way through the yoga studio

With its origins in South Asia, yoga has garnered extreme popularity throughout the world in the modern day. Group classes are routinely offered in gyms and yoga studios and yogis will undoubtedly tout the inarguable benefits in terms of flexibility, strength, stamina, and mental balance of this form of exercise.