DMAE: Benefits for Skin, Side Effects, and Anti-Aging Alternatives
What is DMAE? Dimethylaminoethanol — the molecule also known as DMAE — is commonly used to treat a variety of mental ailments. It is, for example, an ingredient in medications like Deanol, for ADHD, and Lucidril, for senile dementia. But the positive effects of DMAE are believed to extend beyond mental wellness. It’s also found ... Read more
Clarisonic Review: Face Brushes, Brush Heads, Results, and Price
What is Clarisonic? Clarisonic is a brush that uses sonic technology to provide your skin with a deep cleansing. It works on a similar principle as the sonic toothbrush, except instead of cleaning away food trapped between your teeth, it clears dirt and makeup out of your pores. According to its manufacturers, Pacific Bioscience Laboratories, ... Read more
Alopecia Universalis: Causes, Treatment, and Hair Regrowth
What is alopecia universalis? Alopecia universalis is an advanced form of alopecia areata, and is believed to be an autoimmune disorder. This involves the immune system mistakenly attacking healthy cells in the body. T cells, which are central to the body’s immune response system, are present at the affected hair follicles and release inflammatory agents ... Read more
Skin Graft: Types, Procedure, Complications, and Aftercare
What is a skin graft? Skin grafts and skin transplants are medical procedures that involve taking skin from one part of the body — known as the donor site — and moving it to cover a burned or injured area in need of repair. The skin used can be harvested from a variety of donor ... Read more
Treacher Collins Syndrome: Causes, Symptoms, and Prevention
What is Treacher Collins Syndrome? Treacher Collins Syndrome is a medical disorder caused by a genetic mutation, but it’s not necessarily hereditary. It will affect approximately 1 in every 50,000 babies. There is usually no way to tell whether a child has the syndrome until it is born. Treacher Collins Syndrome presents in the head ... Read more
Carpal Tunnel Surgery: Procedure, Recovery, Complications, and Cost
What is the carpal tunnel? The carpal tunnel is a physical space in your wrist that runs between the wrist bones at the bottom and the transverse carpal ligament at the top. This space allows the median nerve and the tendons that help your fingers move to pass through unimpeded. It’s an actual tunnel through ... Read more
Arthritis in Hands: Symptoms, Types, Treatment and Surgical Options
Approximately 54.4 million adults in the United States were diagnosed with some form of arthritis from 2013 to 2015, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Osteoarthritis is the most common form of the condition, affecting an estimated 31 million people. It is followed closely by rheumatic conditions like gout and rheumatoid ... Read more
Brachial Plexus Injury: Symptoms, Treatments, and Recovery
What is the brachial plexus? Take your hand and press it to the side of your neck. Now run it down across the front of your shoulder. Keep going down your arm to your hand. This is the path of the brachial plexus, a nerve network that starts at the spinal cord near the neck ... Read more
Pixie Ears After Facelift: Why It Happens and What You Can Do About It
Like bunny lines and trout pouts, the pixie ear is another in a long line of cutely named tell-tale signs of cosmetic procedures. Unlike ear pointing, a procedure dedicated to turning ears from ordinary to elf-like, this trend is not voluntary. Pixie earlobes are often the direct result of a poorly executed facelift. Although this ... Read more
Diabetic Dermopathy (Shin Spots): Treatment, Symptoms, and Causes
What is diabetic dermopathy? Diabetic dermopathy goes by many names: shin spots, sugar spots, and even spotted leg syndrome. This relatively innocuous skin condition may not be particularly dangerous on its own. At the same time, it could indicate some serious underlying medical conditions, which is all the more reason to know if you’re at ... Read more