Electronic skin or "e-skin" that has sensing capabilities

What if we could create an artificial skin that has sensing capabilities? Electronic skin? e-skin? Digital skin? There's a recent paper published in Nature titled, "An ultra-lightweight design for imperceptible plastic electronics." The authors describe

a platform that makes electronics both virtually unbreakable4 and imperceptible. Fabricated directly on ultrathin (1 μm) polymer foils, our electronic circuits are light (3 g m−2) and ultraflexible and conform to their ambient, dynamic environment. Organic transistors with an ultra-dense oxide gate dielectric a few nanometres thick formed at room temperature enable sophisticated large-area electronic foils with unprecedented mechanical and environmental stability: they withstand repeated bending to radii of 5 μm and less, can be crumpled like paper, accommodate stretching up to 230% on prestrained elastomers, and can be operated at high temperatures and in aqueous environments.

July is UV Safety Month

Planning a trip to the beach this summer? Make sure to use plenty of sunscreen. July is UV Safety Month.

UV Safety Month is a great time to spread the message of sun, fun and UV safety to your community. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is the main cause of skin cancer. UV rays can also damage your eyes.
Anyone can get skin cancer, but the risk is greatest for people with:

• White or light-colored skin with freckles
• Blond or red hair
• Blue or green eyes

You can take these steps to help prevent skin cancer:

• Stay out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
• Use sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher.
• Cover up with long sleeves and a hat.
• Check your skin regularly for any changes.

National Health Observances
Sponsor: American Academy of Ophthalmology

New FDA guidelines and regulations on sunscreen

Get ready to see some new labels on sunscreen. You won't see the terms "waterproof" or "sweatproof" anymore. Instead, sunscreen will be labeled, "Water Resistant" for either 40 or 80 minutes. Under the new regulations, products may be labeled "broad spectrum" if they block both UVA and UVB radiation as both cause skin cancer.

These measures are necessary, says Lydia Velazquez, PharmD, in FDA’s Division of Nonprescription Regulation Development, because “our scientific understanding has grown. We want consumers to understand that not all sunscreens are created equal.”

“This new information will help consumers know which products offer the best protection from the harmful rays of the sun,” Velazquez says. “It is important for consumers to read the entire label, both front and back, in order to choose the appropriate sunscreen for their needs.”

Learn more here.

Increasing rates of skin cancer in Korean patients

I'm Korean. My last name (Kim) gives it away. An interesting paper caught my eye the other day. It was titled, "Recent trend in the incidence of premalignant and malignant skin lesions in Korea between 1991 and 2006."

They noted an increase in both premalignant and malignant skin lesions in Korean patients.  For cutaneous malignancy, the incidence was 0.25% during 1991-1998 and 0.34% in 1999-2006. Those are still very small numbers, but the increase is significant. I spent a lot of time in the sun when I was a teenager, so I need to keep an eye on my skin. It's a good thing I'm married to a doctor. 

Kim HS, Cho EA, Bae JM, Yu DS, Oh ST, Kang H, Park CJ, Lee JD, Lee JY, Kim SY, Kim HO, Park YM. Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea. Recent trend in the incidence of premalignant and malignant skin lesions in Korea between 1991 and 2006. J Korean Med Sci. 2010 Jun;25(6):924-9. Epub 2010 May 24.
Click here to read the article

Don't forget sunblock this weekend!

The other day, I took my kids to the park. Today, I'm attending an afternoon outdoor party. As we start enjoying warm spring weather, don't forget to use sunblock!

Skin cancer comes in many forms. Basal cell carcinoma may not kill too many people, but melanoma kills over 8,000 people each year. Squamous cell carcinoma is the second most common type of skin cancer. What do all of these have in common? Sun exposure!

Make sure to apply plenty of sunblock and reapply regularly.

How to buy health products online

I buy almost everything online. These days, you can find just about anything and everything on the Internet. Of course, you don't want to purchase any fraudulent medications, health products, or any other merchandise unless you're absolutely sure that you're getting the right product.

For instance, suppose you're looking for Health and Beauty products. Do you ever think about the risk of receiving counterfeit lotions? If you haven't done much traveling outside of the United States, then you may not realize how prevalent "fake" products permeate the marketplace. For instance, in many parts of Asia, you'll see street vendors selling what appears to be genuine branded products, but they're all fake. Let's take another example: Skin Care products. Would you want to use something if you're not entirely confident that you've purchased a legitimate product? I wouldn't want to use any types of creams or lotions for any member of my family unless I had confidence that the product was safe and regulated.

Organic health and beauty products have gained tremendous popularity. There's a huge trend towards holistic and homeopathic medicine. This is also translating into health and beauty products because many people think they're getting something better if that product is labeled "organic." I'm a fan of organic products, but I don't think that everything organic is better or beneficial. At the end of the day, it's important to do your research and ask your health care professional about any issues related to health and wellness.

Controversies about acne

As high school and college students get ready to go back to school, many of them have one thing on their mind: their looks. They are so self-conscious that they would be willing to do almost anything to improve their self-image. One of the biggest problems faced by young people today is acne. If you've never had a serious problem with acne, then you may have a difficult time truly understanding what some people go through. For many students and young adults, acne can lead to serious problems with self-esteem, social interactions, and much more. What may seem to be a common dermatological condition can lead to serious mental and emotional problems.

Several controversies still surround acne. Clinicians really don't know what to think when it comes to some of these issues because the evidence is still lacking. For instance, does your diet affect your acne? If you eat greasy foods, are you more likely to have a greasy face? Here's something interesting: A study of 47,355 women in the Nurses' Health Study that used retrospective data collection to determine diet during high school found an association between acne and intake of milk. Didn't expect that, did you? There is currently no robust evidence that eating chocolate is associated with an increase in acne. Thank goodness, because I love eating chocolate.

What about stress? Does stress worsen acne? In one study, acne severity seemed to be associated with stress, particularly in boys. A different study of 22 university students found that acne severity appeared to have some correlation with stress around the time of school examinations. 22 students isn't a large number, so we probably need additional studies to really answer the question of stress. We live in a world of evidence-based medicine, so we need to make sure that we're making conclusive statements that are based on strong clinical evidence and not just anecdotal stories. Of course, if you're convinced that certain foods or stress affect your acne, you may not care about evidence.

Caring for Your Skin

How do you care for your skin? My skin is always dry, so I'm constantly looking for lotions and other moisturizers. People love to have healthy skin. They will invest thousands of dollars on laser surgery, Botox, and other therapies to make their skin look better. People often forget that the skin is an organ that requires care and attention. We take care of our heart by exercising. We avoid smoking to keep our lungs health. What do you do for your skin? I see commercials all the time for different skin products ranging from acne treatment to anti-aging products.

Perhaps you've seen some for a product called Resurgence. This is a product created by Dr. Howard Murad, an Associate Clinical Professor of Dermatology at UCLA. He's also a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology. So what's the best way to care for your skin? To answer that questions, do some research and look at some Resurgence Reviews. Don't believe everything you see on television or on the Internet. It's important to critically assess the validity of products such as Resurgence Products. Even if you see a celebrity like Joan Lunden endorsing a product, spend some time doing some research. Most importantly, talk with your doctor about skin care. If you have special skin conditions, speak with your dermatologist.

Don't Get Burned by that Transdermal Fentanyl Patch

I mean literally. The FDA has warned about the risk of burns in patients wearing transdermal patches and having an MRI. Some drug patches may contain aluminum or other metals and cause skin burns as the MRI creates a magnetic field and causes some of the metal to conduct electricity. Who would have thought, right? You may avoid radiation by undergoing an MRI, but make sure you don't come out with a skin burn.