Dermatology Times While pediatric atopic dermatitis and acne have some similarities among skin of color ...
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Because Caucasians have a higher skin cancer risk than the general population, people with skin of color may believe that they don't need to be concerned about this disease - but new research reveals s this to be a dangerous misconception.According to a study published online in the Journal ...
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Using household items, engineers in Saudi Arabia have created a recyclable paper-based smart skin, capable of detecting temperature, humidity, pH, pressure, touch, flow, motion and proximity at 13 cm, according to a new study in Advanced Materials ...
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Scientists at MIT, Massachusetts General Hospital, Living Proof, and Olivo Labs have developed a new material that can temporarily protect and tighten skin, and smooth wrinkles. With further development, it could also be used to deliver drugs to help treat ...
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Many of us men learn to shave either by trial and error or from observing our fathers. And we wonder why our faces are irritated or peppered with tiny spots of dried blood. The steps below, by teaching you what Dad failed ...
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We and our practices now exist in a medical environment of stress due to outside restrictive regulations, skyrocketing patient deductibles, and ...
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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Imlygic (talimogene laherparepvec), the first FDA-approved oncolytic virus therapy, for the treatment of melanoma lesions in the skin and lymph nodes.“Melanoma is a serious disease ...
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I was eating breakfast this morning, watching the morning news when a very professionally (read as expensive) ad for a major insurance company appeared. I was fascinated. Why do they have to advertise? Even more amazing to me was that the ad basically said nothing except how great this company was and how much they ...
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We want physicians to listen to us; to be present when they are in examination rooms or on the phone. Often, the quality of how we are listened to by our doctors is the benchmark of how we judge them — even more than the results of their treatments. But presence goes both ways. Patients ...
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I have been receiving lots of responses to this blog. A number of them ask if it’s okay to copy the information and post it on their blogs or websites.The answer is yes, of course.My vision is to help bring care and compassion back to healthcare.If you can help spread the message ...
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A CNN story two days ago reported on physicians in our country who are bankrupt from giving care and the numbers of doctors being forced out of practice by their inability to make a living.It sounds crazy, right? Is this a joke? How could this be when doctors drive nice cars and live in ...
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One of my patients was upset.“My insurance is changing and not by my choice. My employer is making us take anHMO.”I assured her that it’s not a terrible thing, especially when compared to people who have no insurance.𠇋ut I won’t be able to see you anymore. I checked and you’re not in the plan.” ...
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I've been getting lots of wonderful responses to my blog.Most of them request that I continue to write.(Some of them are spam advertisements for inexpensive Viagra!)Thank you for your kind comments.It's New Year's Day and I'm taking the time to look back on the past year.I am grateful ...
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I was never one for the ''whoopie'' types of New Year's celebrations. I also could never figure out why the holiday comes in January. Wouldn't it be more appropriate to have the year start with the rebirth of the earth each spring?New Year's day is, for me, a time of quiet reflection. I make two lists on January 1st.One documents the stupid, silly things I did that I regret: the times I wish I had kept ...
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I offer care to anybody who can’t afford it. The system is simple. If you are in need, a letter in my office explains, you can pay what you can afford. But the ...
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I hate watching my profession deteriorate into a bottom line business. I’m committed to a vision of returning care and compassion where it has been lost and to retain it where it still exists. As part of my vision, I have this (perhaps selfish) vehicle to express my thoughts, beliefs and ideas. And maybe I’ll ...
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Am I just getting old or is it too much to ask people for common courtesy?I walk into exam rooms to find patients on their cellphones asking me to hold on while they finish their call. I usually leave the room and see a few other patients before going back, often to a patient ...
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Holiday gift giving can add stress to our lives, not to mention our budgets. I have a simple remedy for the problem.A number of years ago, my wife and I found ourselves in our kitchen in late December surrounded by more baskets of fruit, wine, and trendy gourmet food items than any family needed ...
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Even though the world is suffering from the current economic crisis, we, as human beings, tend to overlook the big picture and feel that we alone are suffering. It’s not true. This problem affects everybody — even royalty.Queen Elizabeth and her family were hit by serious cuts in income this week. And,no, I’m ...
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I just looked at one of those physician rating sites — the ones where anybody can log on anonymously and say whatever they want.I’m either the best or worst doctor in the world. No shades of grey.There is some merit to those websites. I suppose if you’re checking out a physician and he ...
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One of my favorite pharmaceutical reps visited my office today. She usually brings Starbucks for the staff and is a model of professionalism. She never gives a sales pitch for her products but has, on many occasions, gone to bat for patients having a hard time obtaining their ...
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Just for fun, I should look at my consumer rating sites. I’m sure that today’s angry patient is going to leave a negative posting.She was nicely dressed with an obvious skin problem, but she was a new patient and showed up without her insurance card or verification of coverage. When informed that without the ...
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Thanksgiving is over and I’ve had some time to think about the holiday season. Here is what I’ve decided:1. Life is short. I am glad I took Friday after Thanksgiving off and had a long long weekend. It gave me time to refresh and spend time with my family. It’s a cliche but true ...
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I’m pretty upset with our government. My Congressman’s office called the other day requesting money for his campaign. Before I share my response, I have to disclose that my Congressman, Peter Roskam is, in my opinion, better than most. He seems to be a decent, honest guy who works hard to try to make the ...
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It’s the end of the year and for many people that means that the dreaded annual deductible has finally been met.Now comes the rush to get all the things done that needed to be done but weren’t because their costs came out of our pockets. Physicians understand this behavior.I’m doing it myself.But ...
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’ve had a miserable cold all weekend. Now it’s Monday morning and I’m slightly feverish, sweating, have laryngitis and I’m coughing up a storm. But…I’ve also got a full schedule of patients and I’m pretty full this week. So what do I do? Cancel the day and inconvenience patients or expose them to my cold? ...
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Each day, I am faced with messages from patients that the medicine I ordered is going to cost many hundreds of dollars and they cannot afford the cost.There are a few issues creating this problem. Insurance companies review the cost effectiveness of medicines and have been ...
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As with most things run by the Government, who knows? Washington is discussing cutting benefits to Medicare recipients. We doctors know that they are going to cut the amount they pay us for services.One thing that will NOT change, however, ...
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How about a dose of rat droppings? They’re natural. Cyanide? It’s a naturally occurring substance in almonds. A cream made from decaying road kill? It’s part of the natural cycle of life.Of course, I’m being facetious. 𠇊ll natural” has become a buzzword — a marketing tool that, in some cases, has lost its meaning ...
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It’s a simple question and one we ask every patient. It’s a key fact we often need to make an accurate diagnosis.But 99% of patients answer 𠇊while.” No kidding. In over 30 years of practice, I can count on two hands, and perhaps a toe or two, the number of patients who gave me ...
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Certainly not in the yellow pages or from a list that your insurance company publishes. Those don’t tell you anything about the physician to whom you are going to entrust your health and, perhaps, your life.Be wary of internet rating sites that profess to provide honest feedback about physicians. Every doctor has angry patients ...
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You’re going on vacation tomorrow, so you spend a few minutes or more organizing yourself. You make sure you have your tickets, traveler’s checks, itinerary ready to roll. It’s a smart move to make sure nothing is forgotten.It’s good to do the same thing in preparation for a visit to your doctor. Often we ...
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If you come to the office with a friend or relative who doesn’t have an appointment and on the way to the office, they confide in you that they have a very scarey black spot on their back that is changing, please do not hesitate to ask us to take a look at it. You ...
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Patients seem to believe that physicians are given an never-ending supply of free samples that we can load into shopping bags and give to patients, sparing them the cost of their medications or the inconvenience of going to the pharmacy. This belief is simply not true ...
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On Tuesday, March 22 at The Alexian Brothers Medical Center in Elk Grove Village, IL, Dr. Michael Greenberg will address the members of the department of religion ...
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