Parkway Medical Blog

Everyone loves to make New Year’s Resolutions, but often we fail because our resolutions are not realistic. Habits are hard to change, and if you are looking to change your unhealthy habits, beginning with small steps will increase your changes of long-term success. Start with one or two small changes, and then add more when you are ready. Some things to try:

• Park a little further away from entrances to increase walking.
• Add one piece of fruit or vegetable to your diet everyday.
• Cut out one dessert per week.
• Add one glass of water to your daily consumption.
• Change from white bread to whole wheat.
• Substitute fish for red meat once a week.
• Eat breakfast, or at least a small snack, every morning- it improves metabolism and energy, helps concentration, and those who eat breakfast tend to weigh less than those who don’t.
• If you are sedentary, take a walk once a week; add days when you can.
• Start stretching - it helps combat stress, headaches, muscle tension, and improves overall fitness.
• Actively try to laugh more- doing so lowers blood pressure, increases endorphins, reduces pain, and can help mitigate chronic illness.

- Dr Jennifer McMahon

MYTH: Colds are caused by getting wet or being out in cold weather.
TRUTH: Upper respiratory infections are caused by VIRUSES, regardless of weather. Colds are more common in the winter months because they survive longer in cold, dry weather.

MYTH: Drinking milk during a cold produces more phlegm.
TRUTH: Milk consumption has no impact on phlegm production, but it can produce a similar feel while swallowing it.

MYTH: The flu shot can cause a person to contract influenza.
TRUTH: The fly vaccine is a dead virus and cannot cause an active infection, just like a tetanus shot cannot cause tetanus. However, the necessary immune response that vaccines produce can cause flu-like symptoms including body aches and fever.

MYTH: If your mucous is green or yellow, you have a bacterial infection.
TRUTH: Viral infections are the most common cause of discolored mucous and phlegm for the first 1-2 weeks of a respiratory infection.

MYTH: Muscle turns to fat when you stop exercising.
TRUTH: Muscle and fat are composed of different tissues. Your heart cannot turn into a long. Stop exercising and your proportion of fat increases as muscle mass decreases.

MYTH: You need 8 glasses of water a day.
TRUTH: Adequate water intake is necessary for many health reasons, but there is no scientific basis for the 8 glass recommendation.

MYTH: Burns should be immediately treated by applying butter.
TRUTH: Burns should be treated with cold running water. Applying butter increases the risk of infection.

MYTH: Q-tips are effective in removing ear wax.
TRUTH: Q-tips push wax deeper into the ear canal, causing impaction.

Dr. Jennifer McMahon

Holidays are a favorite time to give the gift of cookies, baked goods, and our favorite desserts to our friends and loved ones. However, with so many people fighting obesity and overeating, in addition to chronic ailments such as diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol, a more thoughtful gift is one that will support their health efforts. Some healthy gift ideas and stocking stuffers include: Heart-healthy fresh or dried fruits, nuts, and gourmet teas

• Scented candles, lotions, soaps, and massage certificates for relaxation
• Exercise apparel or gift cards to a sporting store to help them exercise and stay active
• Gift cards to movies, bookstores or music stores as an entertaining alternative to food
• Personal “coupons” for favors such as cooking, cleaning, babysitting, household chores to give them more free time

The true spirit of giving means giving something that is personal and beneficial to the recipient, not sharing the guilt of overeating and thwarting healthy resolutions. So give the most precious gift of all- health and well being.

- Jennifer McMahon, MD

The vast majority of upper respiratory infections (URI), including sinusitis and bronchitis, are caused by viruses. In most cases an antibiotic is not warranted unless symptoms persist beyond 10-14 days, are accompanied by a fever, or symptoms continue to worsen rather than improve after several days. Most URIs will resolve within 1-2 weeks without treatment, and an antibiotic will not speed recovery. It is a myth that colored phlegm and mucous are caused only by bacteria; viruses will produce similar symptoms.

Parkway Medical recommend supportive care for cold symptoms, including antihistamines, decongestants, expectorants, fluids, etc. Medical care should be sought for worsening symptoms, fevers, shortness of breath, or symptoms lasting more than two weeks.

-Jennifer McMahon, MD

Choosing generic drug prescriptions over brand name prescriptions will not only save a patient in the medication cost, it will also save in the amount of your co-pay. Most pharmacies charge a nominal fee for dispensing generics. Health plans charge much less for generic drugs, which are considered comparable to their  brand name counterparts. Additionally, when your physician requests that a non-generic prescription be dispensed, there are many companies and organizations that will assist with your ability to pay for brand name prescription medications. Some are sponsored by the actual drug company, while others are independent.

Here are a few websites:

• Partnership for Prescription Assistance
• GlaxoSmithKline
• Search for available patient assistance programs by entering a particular drug, such as Advair.com

There is help out there.  It simply takes a few minutes to search for it.

On Friday, May 22, the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention (Council) invites you to “slap on a hat” - preferably a wide-brimmed one. By doing so, you can help raise awareness of the need for sun protection.

Sun protection can be easy to forget after a long winter spent covered up. That’s why this Council, of which the American Academy of Dermatology is a core member, created “Don’t Fry Day.” Occurring the Friday before Memorial Day, this day is meant to encourage sun-safety awareness and remind people to protect their skin while enjoying the outdoors. Why not show your support by wearing a wide-brimmed hat? You may educate someone about the dangers of overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays, a leading cause of skin cancer. You could even encourage people to protect their skin this summer.

For more information, visit Don’t Fry Day:

There are a host of moisturizers available for use, from those bought at a store for $5 to much more sophisticated products costing a lot more.  Which is right for you depends on what you want to accomplish.  Moisturizers really do not wet the skin, because adding water simply creates  more evaporation, actually drying the skin. (Think of repeated skin washing and the resulting dryness.)  Instead, moisturizers prevent water loss by using a barrier and attracting water to the dehydrated skin.

Emollients smooth skin, but do not moisturize.  They do this by filling in the spaces between the cells of the superficial skin.  In other words, they flatten out the rough edges between the cells.  It makes skin feel smooth, but does not moisturize well.  Less expensive moisturizers contain water as the largest component,the water evaporating when it delivers other products to the skin.  Therefore, it has to be re-appliedfrequently.   The less expensive products contain a lot of water and emollients.

Barriers and rehydration solutions help moisturize by keeping water in and rehydrating.   Ingredients  thatact as barriers include  dimethicone, and cyclomethicone.  Humectants, substances that attract water to the skin, are glycerine, sorbitol, propylene glycol, hyaluronic acid, sodium pyrrolidonecarboxylic acid, and proteins.  Don’t try to pronounce these, simply look for them in the ingredients as they will truly help moisturize your skin.

So what about wrinkles?  Do moisturizers really help?  Yes, they do.  But, it needs to be a good moisturizer that not only creates an occlusive barrier to prevent water loss, but also needs to contain “humectants” that help attract water to the cells.  This leads to more hydration and less wrinkle appearance.

Finally, products that create a temporary colored layer on the skin surface, place a semi-permanent stain on the skin cells, or increase reflection from the skin surface with light reflecting particles, help improve the skin’s appearance.  Mineral make up does this well when placed over moisturizers.

To really determine what is right for you, see someone who specializes in skin cosmetics or aesthetics to get the right mix.

Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory condition resulting in swelling of the vessels. It affects women more than men generally between the ages of 30-60.

•  Manifests as a redness around the middle of the face, generally the nose and cheeks in a butterfly pattern
•  Has telangiectasia (couperose)
•  Is NOT acne, and does not have comedones
•  Attributed to photo damaged
•  Especially occurring in fair skinned persons

1) Overview

•  Family history/ Ethnic Background ( Celtic )
•  Sun Exposure
•  Male or female
•  Age
•  Demographics

Rosacea has progressive stages, as follows:
Pre-Rosacea
Frequent episodes of flushing and redness that come and go – triggered by foods, stress, environment and lifestyle.
Stage One – Vascular Stage
Telangiectasia, persistent flushing and redness; may be swollen and warm. Many never progress beyond this stage.
Stage Two – Inflammatory Rosacea
Pustules and papules, though no blackheads or white heads; may be misdiagnosed as acne. Telangiectasia is dilated and pores can be enlarged.
Stage Three – Orange Peel Skin Stage
Exacerbation of previous symptoms and tissue hyperplasia (overgrowth). Strikes mostly men and most often on the nose (rhinophymy), the red bulbous nose of W.C. Fields. Patients can experience more than one stage simultaneously, in progression, or only one type, including rhi

2) Topical

(Cosmecutical, Pharmaceutical OTC over the counter)

• OTC ( Over the counter) Department stores/retail outlet
• Cosmecutical sold under  license Esthetic- Cosmetology Boards
• Prescription from MD

3) Ingredients

Cosmecutical

• Antioxidants/Anti Inflammatory:
• Astaxanthin- Soluble Vitamin C-Alpha Lipoic
• Wound healing improve integrity of the skin Copper- Vitamin K –Willow Herb-Co Q10 for stimulating the ATP  ( energy)of the cell

Prescription from MD

4) Ingredients

Cosmecutical

• Antioxidants/Anti Inflammatory: Astaxanthin- Soluble Vitamin C - Alpha Lipoic
• Wound healing improve integrity of the skin Copper- Vitamin K –Willow Herb- - Azeleic  acid
• Co Q10 for stimulating the ATP  ( energy)of the cell

Prescription from MD

• Azeleic  acid (15%)
• Metronidazote ( demodex mite)
• Oral antibiotics ( tetracycline dirivitives)

5) Other information

• Sunscreen non irritating/ physical block/ oil free moisturizing
• Homeopathic Medicine
• Camouflage for coverage quality of minerals /particle size/ amount of fillers
• Things that may trigger it
  - Food
  - Exercise
  - Heat
  - Stress

If you have any questions about how to handle your rosacea-prone skin, Parkway Skin Centre’s staff is always available for consultation. Click here if you would like to purchase Derma MD’s Rosacea Skin Saver Kit.

Dermatologists’ Tips for Controlling Rosacea in Winter

Winter winds and cold weather are common triggers. If you find that your rosacea flares in winter, here are tips that can help diminish flare-ups:

• Protect your face. Covering your face with a scarf or ski mask helps protect it from the wind and cold. Just make sure that if it touches your face, it is not made of wool or a fabric that feels rough to the touch. Wool and rough-feeling fabrics can irritate the skin.
• Protect your eyes. Wear sunglasses that shield your eyes from both the UVA and UVB rays
• Apply sunscreen. The sun’s reflective powers are great year round — 17% on the sand and 80% on the snow. Applying a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or more on exposed skin helps protect your skin.
• Use a barrier-repair product. Protective creams and other topicals that create a barrier on your skin help to shield it. Your dermatologist can help you find a product that does not irritate your skin.
• Wear loose, layered clothing. This allows you to stay warm and remove layers as needed to prevent overheating.
• Reduce indoor heating. Indoor heat can cause a flare-up. When possible set the thermostat to a temperature that does not trigger your rosacea.
• Avoid sitting near a lit fireplace or stove. Becoming overheated often triggers rosacea.
• Prevent heat from blowing on your face. When in a car, set the heat so that it does not blow directly on your face.
• Limit consumption of heated beverages and alcohol. If these are triggers, limiting consumption or avoiding them can help.
• Avoid hot showers, hot baths, saunas, and steam. All of these open blood vessels, which can cause rosacea to flare. Hot water also can irritate rosacea-prone skin. When possible, wash rosacea-prone skin with lukewarm water.

If you have any questions about how to handle your rosacea-prone skin, Parkway Skin Centre’s staff is always available for consultation.

Hypnosis is often plagued with misconceptions and misunderstandings.  It is NOT sleep or mind control.  In hypnosis you cannot be made to do anything against your will, your belief system or moral value, in fact you can’t do anything you do not wish to do.  Rather you gain control over a part of your life that may have been previously out of control.

Most people are unaware that they experience hypnosis in their everyday lives.  For example, if you have been driving and suddenly realize that you do not remember passing the last few exits, you were in a state of waking hypnosis.  In fact, the most common hypnotic state is a daydream!

Hypnosis works, ask me how.  Hypnotic techniques are useful tools to assist in the treatment of stress, sleep disorders, pain and depression.  It is used very successfully for weight loss and smoking cessation. Hypnosis is not a replacement for medical care or any other modality, it is a compliment to all therapies.  For more information on how hypnosis can help you please call Julie Jones, Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist, at 602-576-8821 or click here to read more.