News and Features Related to Skin Problems & Treatments
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Is Itching Contagious?
March 24, 2011 -- Itching, like yawning, may be contagious, causing people to feel an urge to scratch after they see another person scratching. That’s according to a new study published in the British Journal of Dermatology. Scientists at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center were researching what they
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Guide to Treating Acne Scars and Skin Damage
The good news is that the zit that took up residency on your chin for the last three days is finally gone. But the bad news is that the breakout left its mark in the form of a scar. “Even without picking, acne lesions, particularly cysts, can lead to scarring because of the intense, collagen-damagin
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Are Gyms Hotbeds of MRSA Infections? Maybe Not
March 4, 2011 -- Gym surfaces were thought to be likely hosts for the superbug MRSA, but a new study shows that this risk may be exaggerated. In addition, the study shows the risk of MSSA (methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus) infections from gym surfaces may also be exaggerated. The findings
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Bunions Can Affect Quality of Life
Feb. 24, 2011 -- Bunions -- deformities at the base of the big toe that can cause pain and disability -- are common and can really slow a person down, a new study shows. The study, which is published in Arthritis Care & Research, found that more than one in three older adults has at least one bunion
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Dry Electric Current Stops Sweaty Palms
Feb. 23, 2011 -- Electricity alone may be enough to zap sweaty palms and temporarily relieve excessive sweating caused by hyperhidrosis. A new study shows that applying a small electric current to the wrists of people with the disorder kept their hands dry during treatment. Researchers say tap water
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Psoriasis Guidelines Call for Tailored Treatment
Feb. 18, 2011 -- New guidelines for the treatment of the skin condition psoriasis stress the importance of tailoring therapies to individual patients. The guidelines were issued by the American Academy of Dermatology. Ronald L. Moy, MD, president of the American Academy of Dermatology, says disease
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Tattoos: Are They Safe?
Kate Beschen spent years contemplating a tattoo. So when the 37-year-old Philadelphia-based doula finally went for her ink last year, she thought she had covered all the bases. "I had my son and daughter drawn as superheroes on my upper arm," Beschen says. "I decided this was an image I'd be proud t
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Does Chocolate Make Acne Worse?
Feb. 8, 2011 (New Orleans) -- What your mother always told you may be true after all: Chocolate may make acne worse, a small preliminary study suggests. Young men who ate up to 8 ounces of chocolate saw their average number of pimples skyrocket from fewer than four to as many as 70. And the more cho
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Early Success for Gel That Treats Acne Scars
Feb. 8, 2011 (New Orleans) -- A gel made from a person's own blood may help to fill in acne scars, preliminary research suggests. In a study of 15 people with depressed acne scars, the side of the face treated with the gel looked more aesthetically pleasing than the side treated with needling alone.
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Expert Q&A: How Athletes Can Prevent Rashes
Feb. 7, 2011 (New Orleans) -- Recent data show that contagious skin infections account for one in five injuries among college athletes and 8.5% of health problems among high school players. Skin-to-skin contact and profuse sweating create an ideal environment for the spread of common skin conditions
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