'dermatology' posts

I recently appeared in a video where I discuss the different types of acne and various ways to treat them. Click here to see the video or watch below:

Most of us experience acne at some point in our lives. It is most common in adolescents and young adults, but various forms can affect people well into adulthood. Knowing what you can treat with over the counter products and when to see a physician is the first step to improving acne.

The most common form of acne is comedonal acne and is characterized by whiteheads and blackheads. The next most common is inflammatory acne where deeper, pinker bumps appear on the skin. Milder cases of both comedonal and inflammatory acne can often times respond to over the counter (OTC) treatment with salicylic acid cleansers and topical benzoyl peroxide products. If you try OTC treatment for 6-8 weeks and see good benefit, you can avoid a trip to the doctor and keep using the OTC products.

More severe comedonal or inflammatory acne will commonly not respond to OTC treatment or get limited benefit. If a 6-8 week treatment trial with OTC products doesn’t control your acne, it’s time to see a doctor. There are...

"It's eczema season" is an often repeated phrase for me lately.

This time of year, I always find myself seeing more patients with eczema. The common presenting complaint is a persistent rash that itches so much that it disturbs sleep. The dry, itchy patches of skin are commonly seen on the back, sides of the torso, arms and legs, but can happen almost anywhere. People with a history of allergies, asthma, or childhood eczema are even more likely to develop eczema in the fall or winter.

There are a number of contributing factors to the increased incidence of eczema in the winter:

Furnaces run more, drying out the air inside homes and buildings. We wear more clothing, increasing the friction on our skin. Hot water feels better, so we tend to spend more time in the shower or bath.

That last one sounds counter-intuitive, but ...

Your fingernails and toenails are a window into your overall health. Many health conditions, such as heart and lung disease, are very visible in the nails. Bands or lines in multiple fingernails, as well as changes in color, can also indicate illness. Nails can even tell you how long you’ve been ill since fingernails need six months to grow, and toenails a whole year.

When was the last time you looked at your nails?

Did you know:

• Nail pitting: Small depressions on the surface of the nail; is common in people with psoriasis
• Clubbing: Enlarged fingertips with nails curving around the fingertips may indicate lung, liver, heart or inflammatory bowel disease, or AIDS
• Spooning: Scoop-shaped nails that curve up may be a sign of anemia
• Banding...