Skin Conditions Articles

Real People

Advocacy, Strength, and Hope in the Face of Metastatic Melanoma: Bruce and Chris's Story

In 2013, Bruce’s life changed. He was living in sunny Florida with Chris, his wife of over 20 years, when he received an unexpected diagnosis: metastatic melanoma—the most aggressive form of skin cancer.1,2It was a disease Bruce had heard of before—a disease that will impact over 100,000 people in the U.S. this year and 510,000 people across the world by 2040.2,3 But it didn’t cross his mind when he noticed a small lesion on the top of his foot. Chris encouraged Bruce to get it checked out. In...

Living & Wellbeing

Adolescents with Alopecia Areata: What Caregivers Should Know

A lot of kids just want to fit in.1 But for too many, hair loss makes them stand out. For the one in 1,000 children and teens diagnosed with alopecia areata (AA), an autoimmune disease that causes the immune system to attack the hair follicles, hair loss can create practical challenges.2,3Youth with AA might feel too self-conscious for selfies, refuse to go out without a hat, or decline invitations to swimming parties or sports leagues for fear their wigs will fall off. In a 2017 study of 69...

Real People

'I Choose to Be Positive': A Metastatic Melanoma Story Guided by Hope

In 2010, Mindi noticed that a mole on the left side of her chest was bleeding. She felt concerned, but not panicked; after all, the air outside in Salt Lake City, UT had been dry, the 22-year-old reasoned. It could just be dry skin. Still, she wanted to take the proper precautions, so she made an appointment with a dermatologist. When the doctor suggested they take a wait-and-see approach, Mindi wasn't comfortable with it. She wanted to be proactive. "I know my body best," she says. "My gut...

Living & Wellbeing

Eczema vs. Psoriasis: What’s Causing My Itchy Skin?

Getting patches of red and itchy skin that may come and go could have you wondering: Is it eczema or psoriasis, and what’s the difference? Eczema and psoriasis are two distinct skin diseases that may require different treatment plans.1Although they may be difficult to tell apart, a dermatologist (a doctor who specializes in skin conditions) can spot the differences between these two non-contagious and common skin conditions. That’s why it’s important to speak to your healthcare provider to get...

Managing Your Mental Health During a Pandemic

The World Health Organization recently declared a pandemic in the wake of a global outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). And while the majority of people affected by the disease will recover without any long-lasting consequences, there are many others who will suffer the short-term and long-term health effects of stress, anxiety and other mental health complications. We all respond differently to stress and anxiety. Our response is often based on our family upbringing...

Why You May Need an Eczema Care Team

If you have atopic dermatitis—the most common type of eczema—you may be all too familiar with the periodic flare-ups and the itching that often is worse at night and can interfere with sleep.Along with atopic dermatitis, you may have other co-occurring conditions such as food allergies or asthma. You may also have an increased risk for co-existing conditions such as skin infections, heart disease, cancer, depression or anxiety. These issues can have both an emotional and social impact on your...

Is it Sore Joints—or RA?

We often think of arthritis as general joint pain or loss of mobility that comes along as we get older. Arthritis is an umbrella term for more than 100 different diseases and can impact young people as well as old. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is one of the most common types. Read on to learn more. What is RA? RA is a chronic, systemic autoimmune disease that can be painful and disabling. An estimated 1.5 million people in the United States have RA, and nearly three times as many women as men...

Exploring the Manufacturing and Testing Processes of Pharmaceuticals

When a doctor prescribes you a medicine, how does she know it could be helpful? Your doctor relies on experience, medical knowledge and training, but also on information and conclusions drawn from clinical trials. Clinical trials are research studies that test a medical intervention aimed at treating, diagnosing, or preventing a disease or health condition in human volunteers. The intervention could be a drug, a medical procedure or device, or a behavioral therapy, such as diet or exercise. Some...

Is It Rheumatoid Arthritis? Ask a Rheumatologist

Living with Psoriasis: Beyond Just Skin

Psoriasis is a chronic immune mediated inflammatory disorder that affects approximately 2% of the world population or 140 million people worldwide. In the U.S, approximately 7.4 million adults have psoriasis. This chronic disease is known for its effects on the skin, which occurs when the immune system mistakenly triggers skin cells to overgrow. As a result, the life cycle of cells is sped up and an excess of them can form inflamed patches of skin that may occur anywhere on the body, especially...

What You Need to Know About Sunscreen

More than 2 million people in the US are diagnosed with skin cancer every year. Unprotected skin exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation can also lead to several other adverse health effects, such as sunburn, premature skin aging, eye damage, and weakened immune system. The American Cancer Society states that simply staying in the shade is one of the best ways to limit exposure to UV radiation. However, if you are in the sun, it is recommended that you cover up with clothing, hat and sunglasses...

Living with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML)

Chronic myeloid (or myelogenous) leukemia (CML) is one of four main types of leukemia that can affect adults. These 4 types of leukemia are classified as either myeloid or lymphocytic based on the type of cells affected, and either acute or chronic. The chronic forms of leukemia tend to take longer to develop than the acute forms of leukemia; and therefore, people with chronic leukemia can live with the disease for many years.But there are some important things to know in order to manage life...