According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), poor prescribing habits by physicians are to blame for most of the misuse and/or abuse of prescription narcotic pain killers (otherwise known as “opioid prescription pain relievers”) in the United States today. Reportedly, this has been a disturbing and growing trend over the past several years. Over…

You know those “cure-all” copper bracelets you’ve seen people wearing around for years? Like there often is for many an “old wives’ tale”, it turns out there is probably more than an element of truth to the potential health benefits of copper! Not necessarily in the form of protection from arthritis or “rheumatism” but good…

Hyperpigmentation simply described is a focal area or patch of darker pigmentation on any area of the skin.  Special cells in the skin called melanocytes naturally produce melanin – the pigment which your body uses to create skin and hair color.  The production of melanin is under very sophisticated and tight control but is influenced…

As our facial skin ages, it loses more and more of its ability to reflect light. Subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) pigmentations progressively accumulate in both the superficial and deeper layers of the facial skin making it actually look slightly darker. Years of sun damage and weathering also tends to give the facial skin…

There were no doctors in my family. We had businessmen, lawyers, accountants, teachers – no doctors. I had not ever even considered being a doctor. While in high school, I developed an avid interest in psychology which I pursued on my own, as well as academically, continuing on well into my college years as well….

There are a couple of very troubling “styles” of medical care which have crept into our society over the past few years. One has become known as “Concierge Medicine”: the doctor who is employed to supply dangerous drugs or perform ill-advised procedures for a celebrity or wealthy individual and does so, without full or proper…

Are you a proud and longstanding member of the “Baby Boomer” generation? If you were born between 1946 and 1964, you are a baby boomer. Baby boomers are currently all between the ages of 47 and 65. Baby boomers are a very unique group – they are the largest generation in American history, currently totaling…

Melanin is a natural pigment compound produced by very special cells in the skin called “melanocytes”. The melanocytes “inject” packages of melanin (melanosomes) into the surrounding skin cells and tissues by special connecting tentacle-like bridges called “dendrites”. Melanin gives our skin and hair its color. Higher melanin content translates into darker skin or hair color….

Up to 75% of pregnant women have some form of hyper-pigmentation (an increased dark pigmentation of any area of the skin). Typically, it is mild and affects already pigmented areas such as the nipple/areola. The midline of the abdomen can also develop a dark line called the “linea nigra”. Melasma is the medical term for…

A recent Google™ search for “acne medications” came up with about 1,000,000 “hits”. This article attempts to make some organized sense out of all this information for you. As is always recommended, a personalized treatment and comprehensive care plan should be designed in consultation with a trusted board certified physician, even when considering the use…