Pediatricians Endorse New Acne Treatment Guidelines

Experts note many medications now available for range of cases

By Amy Norton

HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, May 6 (HealthDay News) -- Pimples have long been the bane of teenage existence, but pediatricians say there is now enough evidence on effective treatments to put out the first guidelines on battling acne in children.

There is a range of medications that can clear up even severe cases of acne, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Writing in the May issue of its journal Pediatrics, the group throws its support behind new guidelines from the American Acne and Rosacea Society that detail how to treat acne in children and teens of all ages.

That "all ages" part is important because acne is becoming more and more common in pre-teens, too, said Dr. Lawrence Eichenfield, the lead author of the AAP report. One study of 9- and 10-year-old girls found that more than three-quarters had pimples.

It's thought that it may be because boys and girls are, on average, starting puberty earlier compared with past generations, said Eichenfield, a pediatric dermatologist at Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego.

According to the AAP, mild acne often can be tackled with over-the-counter fixes. Washes, lotions and other products containing benzoyl peroxide are the best studied, and the best place to start, the group said.

"It's a pretty effective agent, especially for mild acne," Eichenfield said. Benzoyl peroxide is also the most common ingredient in over-the-counter acne fighters. Another common one is salicylic acid, but there has not been much research on it. When it has been tested head-to-head against benzoyl peroxide, Eichenfield said, the latter has won out.

If over-the-counter products do not do the job, the next step could be topical retinoids -- prescription medications like Retin-A, Avita and Differin. They are vitamin A derivatives and work by speeding up skin cell turnover, which helps unclog pores.

The main side effects of all the topical treatments are skin irritation and dryness, the AAP said.

If the acne is moderate to severe, oral antibiotics could be added to the mix because bacteria that live on the skin play a role in acne. When pores become clogged with oil and skin cells, bacteria can grow in the pore and cause inflammation. Antibiotics help by killing bacteria and soothing inflammation.

But, Eichenfield said, "it's important to use antibiotics appropriately." One reason is because acne-causing bacteria have become less sensitive to common antibiotics in the past couple decades, due to widespread use of the drugs.

Another is that antibiotics can have side effects, such as stomach upset, dizziness and, in girls, yeast infections.

When acne is severe and other treatments have failed, the AAP said, doctors and parents might consider the prescription drug isotretinoin -- brand-names including Roaccutane (formerly known as Accutane) and Claravis.

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not good enough

Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.

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More Kids Diagnosed With Mental Health Disabilities, Study Finds

Conditions such as autism, ADHD appear to drive 16 percent increase in a decade

By Serena Gordon

HealthDay Reporter

SUNDAY, May 5 (HealthDay News) -- Significantly more U.S. children have a neurodevelopmental or mental health disability than did a decade ago, according to new research.

Disabilities that impair a child's day-to-day living have risen 16 percent, with the greatest increase seen in richer families, according to the study. Conditions such as autism or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder appear to lie behind the increase, experts said.

But the surveys of parents in 2001-'02 and 2009-'10 also revealed some good news: The rate of disability due to physical conditions went down, according to the study, which is scheduled for presentation Sunday at the Pediatric Academic Societies' annual meeting in Washington D.C. Data and conclusions presented at meetings are typically considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed medical journal.

"This may mean there are differences in people getting early access to care," said study lead author Dr. Amy Houtrow, vice chairwoman of pediatric rehabilitation medicine at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. For example, medications for children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis, a potentially debilitating inflammatory arthritis, have improved significantly in recent years, she said.

"For some conditions, it may be that medical care has improved so much that children may have a diagnosis but not a disability," she said, adding that this particular example is from what she has seen in her practice, not from the study data.

For the study, Houtrow and colleagues reviewed data from two National Health Interview Surveys conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). They included more than 102,000 parents of children from infancy through 17 years of age.

Parents were asked if their children had any limitations in play or activity, received special education services, needed help with personal care, had difficulty walking without supports, had trouble with memory or had any other limitation.

"It's not enough to just have something like ADHD," she said. "You have to be limited somehow by that diagnosis."

The researchers found that nearly 6 million children were considered disabled at the end of the study. Children living in poverty had the highest rates of disability, although poor children didn't experience the largest increases in the incidence of disability during the study period.

Families with incomes 300 percent above the federal poverty level -- around $66,000 for a family of four -- had a 28 percent increase in children with disabilities. Families whose income levels exceeded the poverty level by 400 percent -- about $88,000 -- saw a 24 percent increase in the number of children with disabilities.

Houtrow said it wasn't clear exactly why this was the case, and the researchers suspect increases in neurodevelopmental disorders may be behind the rise.

In children under 6 years old, the trend was most evident, with almost double the rate of neurodevelopmental disorders -- 36 cases per 1,000 children up from 19 a decade earlier.

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Please analyze my diet

My Stats

30 yr old, female, 5 ft tall, 238 lbs,

A few years ago I saw a dietician & was told to keep my calories at 1000 due to fact I am in a wheelchair because of Spina Bifida.  I am having an EXTREMELY hard time keeping to this.  However, my insurance will no longer cover meetings with a dietician.

My current diet runs around 1113 according to the log here on calorie count.  So what foods should I take away or switch with something else?

Breakfast #1

Protein Milk - 1 scoop Protein Powder, 1 c Unsweetened Almond Milk, 2 TBSP PB2

1 Fruit - Guava, Papaya, Pear, Apple, Orange, Grapefruit OR I have something I have never had before like Starfruit

Breakfast #2 (after 1st workout)

Dannon Light & Fit Pineapple Yogurt w/ 1 TBSP Sunflower Seeds & 1 c Blackberries

Lunch

Taco Salad - 2 oz Taco Meat, Romaine Lettuce, Red Bell Pepper, 2 TBSP Salsa

Snack - 1 Pickle or 1 Cucumber (if I need to snack after 2nd workout)

Supper - 2 c Non-Starchy Veggie Medley & 3 oz Protein (lean beef or baked chicken breast)

Dessert - 2 c Watermelon & 12 Almonds

I drink mostly iced tea w/ a lime wedge, sparkling water, black coffee or water w/ lemon.

Workouts (all upper body workouts at my local YMCA)

1st - Opposite Days - 20 min Weight Machines or 15 min Arm Bike Intervals

2nd - 30 min Arm Bike & 30 min Swim

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Most Men With Erectile Dysfunction Don't Seem to Get Treatment

In study of 6 million ED patients, 75 percent either didn't receive or fill prescriptions

By Kathleen Doheny

HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, May 6 (HealthDay News) -- Never mind the commercials with men talking freely to their doctor about their erectile dysfunction, taking a prescription for treatment to the pharmacy and settling in for a romantic evening.

Despite a wide range of treatment options, most men with erectile dysfunction (ED) don't get treated, according to a new study.

"ED treatments, overall, are underutilized," said Dr. Brian Helfand, an assistant clinical professor of urology at Northshore University Health System and the University of Chicago. "Only 25 percent of men are actually treated."

Helfand led the study, which looked at the medical records of more than 6 million men with an ED diagnosis. He is due to present his findings Monday at the American Urological Association annual meeting, in San Diego.

The study was funded by the Havana Day Dreamers Foundation (which promotes men's health), the Goldstein Fund in Male Pelvic Health and the SIU Urology Endowment Fund.

Helfand used an insurance claims database and looked for the medical code for erectile dysfunction from June 2010 through July 2011. He found 6.2 million men aged 30 and older who received a diagnosis of erectile dysfunction. ED is defined as an inability to maintain an erection satisfactory for sexual performance.

He then looked to see how many filled a prescription. Patients were considered treated if they filled a prescription for an erectile dysfunction drug such as Viagra (sildenafil) or Cialis (tadalafil), drugs called prostaglandins that are given by injection or urethral suppositories, or androgen (hormone) replacement.

He considered them untreated if they received a diagnosis of erectile dysfunction but did not fill a prescription.

He took into account, too, the men's ages and other health problems.

Even though erectile dysfunction is likely to become more common with age, he actually found older men the least likely to be treated. Only about 18 percent of men aged 65 and above were treated.

When Helfand looked to see what bearing other health conditions might have had on treatment, he found those with prostate cancer were least likely to be treated. Only 15 percent were.

The study didn't have information on why the men went untreated, he said. But he speculates there are probably several reasons.

The undertreatment, Helfand said, is probably a result of doctors often not offering the prescription or patients getting a prescription but not filling it at the pharmacy.

"Men may not be bothered by it," he said. Or a doctor may not write a prescription because he may not think the man is a candidate, or perhaps they didn't respond to erectile dysfunction treatment in the past.

Other reasons, he said, could include costs and embarrassment.

For men, Helfand said, the message is: "There are available therapies out there. These can be useful if you have ED."

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How is your PH level?

This is a question I was asked today. My PH level was low and my acid level was high. I was told this could be why I have a weight problem. Get my PH level under control and my weight will follow. It is simple as eating a high ph diet and baking soda. Any comments?

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Get Pepper Potts' Natural Texture (Because Gwyneth Paltrow Looks Amazing in Iron Man 3)

Have you guys seen Iron Man 3 yet? I heard it was as awesome as the other two and am dying to go. Plus, it made more in its opening weekend than any other solo superhero, not to mention practically any movie ever. Personally, though, I was stoked to hear that Gwyneth Paltrow totally embraces her inner badass as Pepper Potts and, from what I've seen, looks gorgeous in the process. (I mean, hello! Look at her.) Here's how to get her beachy-cum-badass texture. 

Start by washing your hair with a curl-defining shampoo and conditioner (even if you have straight hair), then use a microfiber towel to squeeze out all the water. Gentle comb out your 'do with a wide toothed comb, then scrunch in a curl defining, volumizing mouse like Bumble and bumble's.

If you have natural texture, use a diffuser to blow dry sections, gently cupping handfuls of strands as you. If you've got super straight hair like moi, dry it with a diffuser similar to the above. While your strands are still warm, twist two-inch pieces into tiny little buns and pin them in place. Leave it in for an hour at least (I did closer to four, cause like I said, my mane is straighter than an arrow) before you let them loose and it hit 'em with flexible hold hairspray. I'm loving this spray from VO5.

Then, go kick some bad-guy ass.

RELATED LINKS:

Image Credit: Courtesy of ScreenRant.com

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