Skin and Hair Archive

Some experts feel there is evidence that probiotics may help prevent or treat several conditions, such as inflammatory bowel diseases, travelers’ diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, and some allergies (particularly eczema).

Acne

Questions to Discuss with Your Doctor:

• At what age did your problem with acne begin?
• Do you have blackheads, whiteheads, pustules, or cysts?
• If so, what areas are involved: your face, chest, back?
• What is your skin-care routine?
• What products do you use? Do any of them help?
• What medications have you tried (e.g., benzoyl peroxide, Retin-A, antibiotics, Accutane)?
• If you are female, does your acne get worse around the time of your menstrual period and do you have regular menstrual periods?
• What medicines do you take, including over-the-counter medicines and birth-control pills?
• Have you been developing extra body or facial hair?

Your Doctor Might Examine the Following Body Structures or Functions:

• Skin exam

Your Doctor Might Order the Following Lab Tests or Studies:

• Blood tests (liver function tests, cholesterol, or if you are female, perhaps a pregnancy test if you are taking the medicine Accutane)

Rash

Questions to Discuss with Your Doctor:

• How long have you had the rash?
• Where did it start?
• Has it spread?
• Is the rash only on parts of your skin that have been exposed to the sun?
• Does it itch or hurt?
• Is the rash red, pink, or purple?
• Is the rash smooth or bumpy?
• Have you had sores in your mouth, eyes, or other mucous membranes?
• Have you had blisters on your skin?
• Have you had trouble breathing?
• Have you had a fever?
• Have you symptoms of an upper respiratory tract infection (for example, a cold)?
• Have you had vomiting or diarrhea?
• Are you taking any prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, herbs, or supplements? Did you start any of them in the past two months?
• Have you had any new exposures to foods or chemicals?
• Any exposure to insects?
• Have you had any recent sun exposure?

Your Doctor Might Examine the Following Body Structures or Functions:

• Temperature
• Examination of your skin, mouth, eyes, mucous membranes, lymph nodes, liver, and spleen

Your Doctor Might Order the Following Lab Tests or Studies:

• Skin scrapings for microscopic analysis or culture (if the rash looks infectious)
• Complete blood cell count or other blood tests (if you appear sick or have a fever)
• Skin biopsy

Shingles

Questions to Discuss with Your Doctor:

• Do you have a history of chicken pox?
• Does your skin hurt, itch, or feel numb?
• Is the pain sharp, dull, or piercing? How long have you had it?
• Do you have a rash? If so, for how long?
• Is the rash in more than one place on your skin?
• Is the rash on one side of your body only?
• Has the rash at any time looked like small blisters?
• Do you still have pain even if the rash is gone?
• What triggers the pain (for example, a light touch)?
• Do your symptoms interfere with your ability to sleep or perform activities of daily living?
• Are you taking any medications?

Your Doctor Might Examine the Following Body Structures or Functions:

• Skin exam almost always confirms the diagnosis

Your Doctor Might Order the Following Lab Tests or Studies:

• Skin scraping to examine under the microscope, or for viral culture, immunofluorescence, or polymerase chain reaction testing (rarely needed)

Dr. Robert S. Stern, chair of the Department of Dermatology at Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center , calls them "solar-phobes": people so concerned about getting skin cancer that they stay inside or cover every bit of skin. "They cover up like they were going out into the Arabian Desert ," he says. The marketing of ultrablocking sunscreens and special sun-protective clothing plays into these fears.

There's no getting around the fact that sunlight is hard on your skin. Age gets blamed for wrinkles and rough, dry skin. But the real culprit is a combination of age and sun that dermatologists call photoaging. The short UVB wavelengths that cause sunburn can also damage DNA and suppress the skin's immune system. The longer, more penetrating UVA wavelengths may create highly reactive oxygen molecules capable of damaging skin cell membranes and the DNA inside.

An increasing array of nonsurgical products and procedures aim to reduce the effects of time and sun exposure.

 Image: studiokovac/Thinkstock

It's often said that our lives are written on our faces. But if you feel like doing a little editing—erasing a few fine lines, softening a deep furrow, or evening out some patchy spots—there's an increasing array of products and procedures to help rejuvenate skin worn by time and sun exposure. "When it comes to skin treatments, there's lots of good news in therapies for medical conditions as well as cosmetic concerns," says Dr. Kenneth Arndt, adjunct professor of dermatology at Harvard Medical School and medical editor of the Harvard Special Health Report Skin Care and Repair.

A growing population of healthy, active older women who want to look as young as they feel has spurred the development of skin rejuvenation techniques that are more subtle and have much shorter recovery times than facelifts. "It's important to choose your treatments with care and to check and double-check the reputation and accreditation of clinicians performing invasive skin procedures," Dr. Arndt says. You may want to consult a dermatologist to weigh the possible risks and likely benefits of various treatments. Cosmetic procedures aren't covered by insurance, so cost might also be an important factor in choosing a skin rejuvenation procedure.

Many products are designed to absorb water into the skin, keep it from evaporating, or both.

Image: Bigstock

If you grew up watching Doris Day movies, you may have assumed she was privy to skin treatments that weren't available to the general public. However, as she revealed in her autobiography, Vaseline (petrolatum) was the key to keeping her skin soft and smooth.

Things have changed quite a bit in the last 50 years. Petrolatum is still a popular staple, but there is now a dizzying array of newer moisturizers, many with a baffling list of ingredients on their labels. However, they all are designed to either add moisture to the skin or keep it there. Many do both. "Think of moisturizers as putting a barrier between your skin and the cold, dry air," says Dr. Kenneth Arndt, professor of dermatology at Harvard Medical School and faculty editor for the Harvard Health Publications Special Health Report Skin Care and Repair (www.health.harvard.edu/SCR.)

Venous insufficiency, which happens when veins don’t work properly, can cause swelling, pain, and a sense of heaviness in the legs. Elevating the legs when sitting or lying down can help; so can support stockings. 

Droopy eyelids, known as ptosis, are often a normal occurrence of aging although some neurologic conditions also can cause the condition. Ptosis is not a serious problem unless it interferes with your vision. If this happens, or if your droopy eyelids are bothersome, you can opt for cosmetic surgery to repair your eyelids.

A silicone-based product applied under the eyes can reduce the appearance of bags.