Skin and Hair Archive

Ask the doctors

Q. I have fairly thick hair in the summer, but it seems to thin out in late fall. Is there anything I can do now to prevent losing hair in a few months?

A. Sadly, no. What you've experienced is common to all of us. On average, about 90% of the hairs on our heads are in the growing phase and about 10% are in the resting phase. After a few months in the resting phase, the hairs are shed. It's normal to shed up to 100 hairs a day.

On call

Q. I have had a dandruff problem for years. I have tried selenium and zinc shampoos, as well as ketoconazole shampoo. Nothing has worked. Are there other options?

A. Dandruff, which is a chronic skin condition known as seborrheic dermatitis of the scalp, can range from a minor irritant to a severe rash of the entire scalp.

Some experts feel there is evidence that probiotics may help prevent or treat several conditions, such as inflammatory bowel diseases, travelers’ diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, and some allergies (particularly eczema).

An increasing array of nonsurgical products and procedures aim to reduce the effects of time and sun exposure.

 Image: studiokovac/Thinkstock

It's often said that our lives are written on our faces. But if you feel like doing a little editing—erasing a few fine lines, softening a deep furrow, or evening out some patchy spots—there's an increasing array of products and procedures to help rejuvenate skin worn by time and sun exposure. "When it comes to skin treatments, there's lots of good news in therapies for medical conditions as well as cosmetic concerns," says Dr. Kenneth Arndt, adjunct professor of dermatology at Harvard Medical School and medical editor of the Harvard Special Health Report Skin Care and Repair.

A growing population of healthy, active older women who want to look as young as they feel has spurred the development of skin rejuvenation techniques that are more subtle and have much shorter recovery times than facelifts. "It's important to choose your treatments with care and to check and double-check the reputation and accreditation of clinicians performing invasive skin procedures," Dr. Arndt says. You may want to consult a dermatologist to weigh the possible risks and likely benefits of various treatments. Cosmetic procedures aren't covered by insurance, so cost might also be an important factor in choosing a skin rejuvenation procedure.

Many products are designed to absorb water into the skin, keep it from evaporating, or both.

Image: Bigstock

If you grew up watching Doris Day movies, you may have assumed she was privy to skin treatments that weren't available to the general public. However, as she revealed in her autobiography, Vaseline (petrolatum) was the key to keeping her skin soft and smooth.

Things have changed quite a bit in the last 50 years. Petrolatum is still a popular staple, but there is now a dizzying array of newer moisturizers, many with a baffling list of ingredients on their labels. However, they all are designed to either add moisture to the skin or keep it there. Many do both. "Think of moisturizers as putting a barrier between your skin and the cold, dry air," says Dr. Kenneth Arndt, professor of dermatology at Harvard Medical School and faculty editor for the Harvard Health Publications Special Health Report Skin Care and Repair (www.health.harvard.edu/SCR.)

Venous insufficiency, which happens when veins don’t work properly, can cause swelling, pain, and a sense of heaviness in the legs. Elevating the legs when sitting or lying down can help; so can support stockings. 

Droopy eyelids, known as ptosis, are often a normal occurrence of aging although some neurologic conditions also can cause the condition. Ptosis is not a serious problem unless it interferes with your vision. If this happens, or if your droopy eyelids are bothersome, you can opt for cosmetic surgery to repair your eyelids.