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Acne is a skin condition that affects approximately 650 million people worldwide. Hormonal acne develops due to changing hormones. It occurs in males and females during puberty and is more common in males during adolescence. In adulthood, it is more common in women. This article reviews hormonal acne causes, symptoms, and over-the-counter (OTC), natural, and prescription treatments. What Is Hormonal Acne? Acne occurs when skin pores get clogged and create whiteheads, blackheads, or sores....

In recent years, substance abuse has been on the rise. The pandemic has only exacerbated the issue, leading to skyrocketing rates of overdoses. This article is part of our series looking at how Black Americans navigate the healthcare system. According to our exclusive survey, one in three Black Americans report having experienced racism while seeking medical care. In a roundtable conversation, our Medical Expert Board called for better representation among providers to help solve this widespread problem....

If you or your child has been exposed to scabies, it’s normal to feel anxious about the prospect of contracting it too. Just take a deep breath. There are some steps you can take to help prevent scabies. General Prevention Tips The best way to prevent scabies is to avoid having direct skin-to-skin contact with someone who has scabies. Obviously, this isn’t always feasible. You may not know if someone has scabies....

Type 2 diabetes is caused by excessively high blood glucose (sugar) levels. Glucose provides energy to cells throughout the body. Insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, helps glucose enter cells. Type 2 diabetes occurs when your body no longer responds to insulin appropriately (insulin resistance) or doesn’t make enough insulin. Checking blood sugar levels at home is vital for managing diabetes and helping to prevent diabetic complications. This article discusses how to check your blood sugar at home, interpret your results, and why this is an important habit when you have type 2 diabetes....

When your thyroid gland is overactive (hyperthyroidism) and produces too much hormone, your body’s metabolism speeds up. Considering the whole-body effects this can have, a variety of symptoms may result, including weight loss, irritability, irregular heart rhythm, tremor, insomnia, hair loss, and more. Hyperthyroidism also carries some potential complications with it, such as bone weakening, atrial fibrillation, and pregnancy concerns, though these are more common when the disease goes untreated or uncontrolled....

Kearns-Sayre syndrome (KSS) is a rare genetic condition caused by a problem with a person’s mitochondria, components found in all the body’s cells. Kearns-Sayre causes eye and vision problems, and it can lead to other symptoms, like heart rhythm issues. Usually, these problems begin in childhood or adolescence. KSS can be more broadly categorized with other types of rare mitochondrial disorders. These may have distinct but overlapping symptoms with KSS....

Hormones are chemicals your body produces that travel through the blood to your organs, muscles, and tissues. Hormones help your body regulate a variety of functions, including: ReproductionSexual functionGrowth and developmentMoodMetabolism Luteinizing hormone (LH) is an important regulator for puberty, fertility, and sex drive. Too low or too high LH levels can affect adults who have a uterus (womb) or penis. They can also affect children of any sex. This article will explain what LH is, and how LH levels impact reproductive and sexual health in adults and growth and development in adolescents....

Medical tourism is a term that refers to traveling to another country to get a medical or dental procedure. In some instances, medical tourists travel abroad seeking alternative treatments that are not approved in the United States. Medical tourism is successful for millions of people each year, and it is on the rise for a variety of reasons, including increasing healthcare costs in the United States, lack of health insurance, specialist-driven procedures, high-quality facilities, and the opportunity to travel before or after a medical procedure....

Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) is a mental health condition where a person has an overly high sense of self-worth and wants others to admire them. NPD is one of several personality disorders recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental Health Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5). This condition can affect both children and adults, but there are some differences between the two groups. Learn more about narcissism in children, including symptoms, causes, and treatment options....

Ocular melanoma is eye cancer that arises in cells known as melanocytes, which give color to body parts such as your lips, skin, and eyes. It may not have symptoms unless it spreads or is in an area of the eye where it affects vision. About 2,500 adults in the United States are diagnosed with ocular melanoma each year. Ocular melanoma can spread silently and may move to other parts of the body, where, much like melanoma of the skin, it may be life-threatening....

Pink eye, also known as conjunctivitis, refers to inflammation or infection of the conjunctiva, the membrane that covers the whites of the eyes and inner eyelids. When this membrane becomes infected with a bacterium or virus, inflammation can occur. Pink eye in newborns may lead to serious complications and requires medical treatment right away. This article provides an overview of pink eye in babies, including how to recognize it and when to seek treatment....

Psychiatric service dogs are a subset of service animals trained to perform specific tasks for people with disabilities due to a mental health illness. These conditions can include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and panic disorders, depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia, among others. Psychiatric service dogs are different from emotional support dogs, as they provide a specific task rather than overall comfort. Tasks range from providing tactile stimulation for anxiety or bringing a person back to a level of awareness....

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory condition that affects many joints throughout the body, including the feet. RA is an autoimmune disease; it develops when your immune system mistakenly attacks its own tissues. RA in the feet causes pain, swelling, limited movement, and difficulty with everyday tasks. This article discusses RA in the feet, including the symptoms, complications, and treatment. Symptoms of RA in the Feet There are 26 bones, 30 joints, and more than 100 supporting soft tissues in each of your feet....

Ringworm (dermatophytosis) is a fungal infection that gets its name from the circular rash it usually creates on the skin. The rash is typically red, scaly, and itchy, though ringworm can cause vastly different symptoms when it affects the face, hands, or scalp. Ringworm can also manifest as athlete’s foot (tinea pedis), jock itch (tinea cruris), and nail fungus (tinea unguium), which come with additional symptoms. This article describes the signs and symptoms of ringworm in its different forms, including possible complications....

Your eye is red and watery and your vision is blurred. Something is wrong, but you’re not quite sure what. Is this a case of pink eye from an infection, allergy, or chemical exposure? Or, could you have a corneal abrasion (scratched cornea), where the top layer of the cornea, the clear dome of the eye, is scraped? These symptoms could be a sign of either condition. Other signs and symptoms can help to differentiate the two....

Shingles is caused by the reactivation of the varicella zoster virus (VZV), which, when it first infects the body, causes chickenpox and then goes into hiding in the nervous system. Why the virus re-emerges isn’t entirely understood, but there are theories. Shingles is most common in older people, but anyone with the varicella zoster virus is at risk. In fact, reduced immunity is considered the biggest risk factor for shingles. Researchers believe that stress could also play a role for some people....

On January 12, 2021, the Supreme Court granted a request from the Trump administration necessitating in-person visits with a medical professional in order to pick up abortion pills, further limiting abortion access during the COVID-19 pandemic. Previously, people could receive the medication for terminating an early pregnancy, called mifepristone, through the mail after a telehealth visit. Key Takeaways A new study finds 7% of women living in the United States will attempt a self-managed abortion at least once in their life....

Almost one in two men will develop cancer in their lifetimes (versus one in three women), yet we hear much more about cancer symptoms in women. In our society, it’s sometimes common for men to “man it up” and ignore the symptoms of cancer they are also experiencing. While being a hero, at times, is refreshing in today’s world, when it comes to cancer, it can backfire. With most cancers, the earlier they are diagnosed the better the survival....

Telehealth services were not common before the COVID-19 pandemic. Now people who live with chronic conditions, including Crohn’s disease, have access to expanded forms of care via telehealth. The relapsing/remitting nature of Crohn’s disease means that patients require care throughout their lives. While some routine parts of care—such as blood tests, colonoscopy, and medication infusions—will still need to be done in person, others can be done via telehealth. Virtual visits can include nutritional consultations, mental health care, education about the disease or treatments, and going over lab work results or other tests....

Telemedicine for autism is here to stay, and it’s brought a wealth of options and services to people with autism and their caregivers. From diagnosticians to therapists to skill-building groups and programs, parents and children are finding a wide variety of possibilities that were unavailable only a few years ago. While not all telemedicine practitioners are top-notch, and some types of therapy are more effective in person, the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks....