Dermatology

• FDA Approves No-Comb Treatment for Head Lice

  

  Posted 9:42 PM 2/7/2012

  Feb. 7, 2012 -- The FDA today approved Sklice, a no-comb, 10-minute treatment for head lice.

  The announcement comes from Sanofi Pasteur U.S., which last year acquired the developer of the treatment, Topaz Pharmaceuticals.

  Sklice is a topical (on-the-skin) lotion containing a 0.5% solution of (More)
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• Adv. - more news below

• Itch Intensity and Scratching Pleasure Vary at Different Body Sites

  

  Posted 7:45 PM 2/2/2012

  Feb. 2, 2012 -- You've got to love a scientific paper entitled "The Pleasurability of Scratching an Itch."

  We've all been there, done that: "Ahhh." But did you know that scratching one part of the body is more pleasurable than scratching another? And no, not your first thought. Lower. Try the ankles.

  Actually, the authors of the new paper didn't study the "private" region, "a totally different ball game," says co-author Gil Yosipovitch, MD (More)
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• CDC: Morgellons Disease May Not Be Real

  

  Posted 9:34 PM 1/26/2012

  Jan. 26, 2012 -- Extensive study of people suffering from Morgellons disease -- including analysis of their mysterious "skin fibers" -- finds no underlying cause of the illness.

  Morgellons symptoms are as creepy as the name implies. Patients report slow-to-heal sores that often feel like bugs are crawling under their skin. They often scratch themselves raw. And they also report that mysterious colored fibers, granules, worms, eggs, fuzzballs (More)
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• Bedbugs: Why They're Back

  

  Posted 5:40 PM 12/6/2011

  Dec. 6, 2011 -- For a while, it seemed the bedbug had gone the way of the Edsel automobile and cold water flats. Not anymore -- as we've learned. They're back with a vengeance, and experts now seem to know why.

  Bedbugs may not get as much play in the media as they did in the summer of 2010, but they are here to stay, experts warned at (More)
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• Gene May Be Linked to Frequent Cold Sores

  

  Posted 7:22 PM 11/18/2011

  Nov. 18, 2011 -- Most of us have had an occasional cold sore, but some people get the painful, unsightly sores over and over again. These cold sores, which tend to appear on or around the lips, are caused by herpes simplex virus (More)
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• Misuse of Bedbug Insecticide Causes Illnesses

  

  Posted 10:34 PM 9/22/2011

  Sept. 22, 2011 -- Bedbugs won't kill you, but the poisons used to kill them might. According to a new CDC report, exposure to insecticides used to control bedbugs led to one death and more than 100 illnesses between 2003 and 2010.

  The report is published in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

  The report states (More)
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• If You Have Body Odor, It May Be in Your Genes

  

  Posted 9:50 PM 9/15/2011

  Sept. 15, 2011 -- Imagine showering all you can, using deodorant, essentially being squeaky clean, yet your body odor still resembles fish, or maybe even garbage.

  For some people, it's an unwelcome reality. It's called "fish odor syndrome," but it's technically a genetic condition called trimethylaminuria. And it may be a lot more common than previously believed.

  Until now, this condition was thought to be relatively rare, affecting less than 200,000 (More)
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• Uncommon Skin Infection Linked to Tattoos

  

  Posted 9:59 PM 8/11/2011

  Aug. 11, 2011 -- Practices at some tattoo parlors may increase the risk for developing a type of skin infection that more typically occurs in people with compromised immune systems, a study shows.

  Two reported cases of Mycobacterium haemophilum skin infections in tattoo parlor customers mark the first time this type of skin infection (More)
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• Treating Chronic Wounds

  

  Posted 6:54 PM 8/10/2011

  For most people, a minor wound -- a blister from a new pair of shoes, for instance -- is nothing to worry about. It hurts and then goes away. But for some, sores or cuts just won't heal -- for months or even years. High blood sugar, circulation problems, smoking, peripheral neuropathy, aging, and malnutrition can all cause long-lasting wounds that don't heal.

  "Chronic wounds are an awful and underappreciated problem," says Gerald Lazarus MD, director of the (More)
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• 6 Steps to Improved Nail -- and Overall -- Health

  

  Posted 10:01 PM 8/4/2011

  Aug. 4, 2011 -- They say the eyes are the mirrors to the soul, but it's our nails that may provide a snapshot of our health.

  Taking care of our fingernails and toenails and knowing when to see a dermatologist can go a long way toward making sure our nails look great and protecting our health, according to dermatologists speaking at the American Academy of (More)
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