Latest news with #WeillCornell
CNN
3 days ago
- CNN
NYPD officer's body transferred from Upper East Side hospital
Video shows people paying tribute outside Manhattan's Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center as the body of Officer Didarul Islam was transferred on Tuesday. The 36-year-old officer was one of four people killed on Monday evening when a gunman entered the lobby of the 345 Park Avenue office tower in Midtown Manhattan and opened fire.
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Why Doctors Say Doomscrolling Is ‘Terrible' For Your Skin
We're living in an age where information from across the world is easily accessible, at our fingertips in a heartbeat—just a tap and swipe away on news apps and social media feeds, all day every day. A recent study by the Pew Research Center found that over 54% of U.S. adults now get their news via social media, a figure that has nearly doubled since 2020. It's no surprise that the all-too-addictive behavior known as doomscrolling can impact your mental health, but excessive screen time can also affect your skin. It's important to stay up-to-date on current events (hey, that's what we're here for), but it's just as important to take care of yourself, both physically and emotionally. Getting nonstop push notifications about the worst of humanity or constantly refreshing your newsfeed, unable to resist clicking on the latest awful thing—well, those habits probably won't be conducive to the well-being of your mind and body. Here's what you need to know about the effects of doomscrolling on your skin and how to fix it—you know, beyond chucking your cellphone out of a window. What is doomscrolling, and why do we do it? Doomscrolling happens when an individual struggles to refrain from endlessly engaging with bad news stories or social media content, often leading to feelings of anxiety, stress, depression, or sadness. 'Doomscrolling has a built-in biology to it,' said Gail Saltz, an associate professor of Psychiatry at New York Presbyterian Hospital Weill-Cornell School of Medicine. 'You get a hit of your fight-or-flight response where your brain is telling you, 'you better look, because if you don't scan for danger, you're going to be a victim.'' That wiring is reinforced by dopamine, the feel-good chemical linked to reward. When we feel more informed or prepared, our brains give us a slight boost of satisfaction. But when we consume disturbing content, the stress hormone norepinephrine is released, triggering a jittery, high-alert reaction. This not only affects individuals' happiness but also impairs their ability to function and focus on other key routines, such as work, sleep, and self-care. 'Engaging with this material is a constant trigger for stress,' Dr. Saltz told The Daily Beast. 'If you're chronically stressed, then you are chronically producing more circulating cortisol, which has many different effects on physical and mental health.' How does emotional stress translate to breakouts and inflammation? The main function of cortisol, also known as the 'stress hormone,' is to help regulate blood pressure and glucose levels while also combating inflammation during moments when our bodies enter 'fight or flight' mode. But issues arise when cortisol levels become elevated too frequently as a result of stress. Engaging with this material is a constant trigger for stress. 'If [doomscrolling] is something that causes chronic stress in a person, it can have a negative impact on the cosmetic appearance of the skin,' said Jeremy Fenton, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York. 'Cortisol in excess can [harm] the skin in the long term, causing it to become thinner or weaker.' While it may be challenging to look at a person and assume that they spend too much time on social media based on their face, Dr. Fenton said patients can usually recognize the connection themselves. Patients with inflammatory skin conditions like psoriasis, acne, and eczema often realize that their symptoms progressively worsen not only when their stress levels are high but also when they are sleep-deprived. How does nighttime scrolling hurt your skin? Like the rest of your body, your skin needs a chance to heal itself. Unfortunately, endlessly thumbing through terrifying news stories can mess with its ability to do that. 'Doomscrolling is a terrible thing to do before going to bed because you're revving up your system,' Dr. Saltz said. 'To sleep, you have to bring on board your parasympathetic nervous system, which is the side that is relaxing.' Binging the news or your Insta feed before bed not only impacts falling asleep, but the body's ability to fall back asleep if one were to wake up in the middle of the night due to anxiety. 'Your body needs sleep for regeneration, your brain needs sleep, and all of your tissues need sleep in order to trigger the appropriate regeneration and recuperation,' added Dr. Fenton. Doomscrolling is a terrible thing to do before going to bed. Sleep deprivation can also lead to increased cortisol and other hormone changes, such as a reduction in the production of melatonin, which may impair the skin's ability to repair itself. When the body is unable to get the rest it needs to replenish itself, inflammation occurs, which can cause an increase in breakouts, skin sensitivity, redness, irritation, and puffy eyes. 'Sleep is a critical component of your overall health across many different facets,' says Dr. Fenton. 'There's no doubt that sleep deprivation is going to have a negative impact on overall skin health.' Does blue light really mess with your complexion, or is the issue more complicated than that? Digital and LED screens emit blue light, a high-energy, short-wavelength visible light. Extended blue light exposure, similar to excessive sun UV rays, can harm the body, causing issues like eye strain and, yes, sleep problems. Some studies suggest blue light may do a number on your skin, but Dr. Fenton noted that these claims remain debated. 'You can find some evidence of the negative effect of blue light on the skin, potentially increasing DNA damage, breakdown of some of the supporting tissue in the skin,' Dr. Fenton says. 'But you can also find evidence where blue light is also used therapeutically—it's used sometimes to help treat, treat acne, and other things.' Dr. Fenton recommends daily sunscreen and antioxidant serums for anyone who spends a significant amount of time behind a screen and is concerned about the long-term effects it might have on their skin. 'If you use sunscreen, a physical sunscreen with a tint is ideal as the iron oxide in tinted sunscreens offers protection against visible light in addition to UV light,' he said. In other words, next time you notice the moon peeking through your blinds while you're caught up in a TikTok session, put down your phone and pick up a book instead.
CNN
09-07-2025
- Climate
- CNN
How can families handle anxiety around summer camp after the Texas floods?
Hurricanes StormsFacebookTweetLink Follow When tragedies are in the news — natural disasters, plane crashes, fires — parents naturally and unavoidably react by thinking about what might happen to their own children. And children worry in turn about what might happen to them. The flash flooding last week that killed more than 100 people along the Guadalupe River in central Texas, including dozens of campers and counselors at Camp Mystic, was a family nightmare come true. Every summer, kids hug their parents goodbye for camp, with both sides full of anxiety about what it means for children to be away from home and family. Now that those normal worries are being amplified by the news from Texas, what should parents and kids do? Children who have been planning for camp should still go to camp, even if it feels difficult, said Dr. Gail Saltz, clinical associate professor of psychiatry at New York Presbyterian Hospital, Weill-Cornell Medical College. 'When we don't do a behavior that makes us anxious, it restricts us further and actually tends to make us more anxious.' Fear is understandable but it's important to recognize when it becomes irrational and unnecessarily limiting, potentially even threatening formative experiences in children's lives, Saltz said. The devastation at Camp Mystic feels especially distressing because summer camps are places people choose to go, that often hold their fondest memories. The very nature of overnight camp removes the sense of control many parents feel when their children are home. 'It's a transition to something new and different. That evokes separation anxiety for both parents and kids, even in older kids,' Saltz said. Watching an unfolding tragedy of this magnitude can trigger what Saltz calls 'irrational, catastrophic fears' and deep feelings of helplessness — and just at the moment when families across the country are dropping off camp trunks or waiting for messages home. No matter how unprecedented an incident, hearing about it makes it feel as if it's likely happen again, 'certainly in the immediate aftermath,' Saltz said. 'It's important to remember it's bizarrely rare.' The deadly flooding occurred after drought conditions and a massive amount of rain — another example of extreme weather events that are becoming more frequent amid rising global temperatures. 'It adds this element of helplessness — the same kind of helplessness, for example, that many people feel about guns and school shootings,' Saltz said. 'And so that feeling of being stuck adds to that distressing, helpless feeling, not being in control.' Bob Ditter, a clinical social worker for the American Camp Association, said stories from Camp Mystic alumni reflect a place that has been around for nearly 100 years and where people feel safe and a strong sense of belonging. 'The reason that this has resonated with so many people is the specter of having our safe, happy space swept away from us is just unimaginable,' he said. Dr. Leslie Paris, an associate professor at the University of British Columbia who studies American childhood, said that camps have historically been treated as safe havens from crime and disease. They encourage tradition and nostalgia, too, drawing generations of parents 'eager to provide similar opportunities to their own children.' Going to camp has never been perfectly safe. Deadly drownings, disease outbreaks, and lightning strikes have happened through the generations, but not so widely or frequently that they drove campers away. 'The scale of the tragedy at Camp Mystic is particularly significant,' Paris said. 'I think that we are collectively shocked because these are deaths so deeply out of order, so fundamentally wrong.' Parents and caregivers should acknowledge their fears but resist the temptation to avoid anxiety or discomfort. They can do their due diligence about safety, including asking camps about their emergency plans and how they can communicate with their children. But they'll have to accept that some degree of uncertainty will always exist. Parents acknowledging and tolerating that uncertainty is a model for their children, Saltz said. 'You're operating as a family. There are a million things in life that you cannot do if you can't tolerate any risk at all,' Saltz said. 'You can't cross the street, you can't fly to a vacation. Everything has some modicum [of uncertainty] so it is important in the world of resilience, experience, managing new tasks, to be able to tolerate that.' For parents with anxious children, Saltz suggests leaving the news out of family discussions or letters to camp. 'There's no reason for a child in a camp in Vermont to be hearing about this camp in Texas,' she said. 'In pre-internet days when camps were around, they wouldn't have.' Still, word will spread. And when it does, 'the most important thing to do is to point out how rare it is to tell them that they can absolutely talk with you about it,' Saltz said. 'They can ask you any questions. You may not know the answers, but you'll try to find out for them.' Ditter from the American Camp Association said that parents should emphasize 'that there's a difference between something that has happened to somebody else that resonates with us, but that hasn't happened to us. It's our empathy that makes us frightened and makes us feel these things deeply. In fact, we even have a name for it. We call it empathic distress.' Saltz emphasizes that neither parents nor children should immerse themselves in the news. 'I would advise parents who have learned about the story not to keep watching the news story over and over again,' she said. 'There's no benefit, but there is repeated triggering.' Even if it feels uncomfortable, children with mild anxiety disorder, mood issues or separation anxiety still benefit from taking risks and developing away from the normal routines of home. But sleepaway camp may not be for everyone, including children with a panic or mood disorder, phobia, or who have experienced a recent tragedy or trauma. 'If you send them somewhere where they can't get any treatment, you may be doing them a disservice,' Saltz said.
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Titanium Dioxide Is Probably On Your Mineral Sunscreen Label—Here's What You Need to Know About It
Titanium dioxide is a natural ingredient commonly found in mineral sunscreens. Mineral sunscreens with titanium dioxide offer broad-spectrum protection and are ideal for those with sensitive skin. However, unlike chemical formulas, they do leave a white any good skincare enthusiast, I'm serious about my SPF. As recommended by dermatologists, I apply it as part of my morning routine, and my preferred products often contain titanium dioxide. The mineral sunscreen ingredient not only provides broad-spectrum protection, but also helps blur pores in the process. Intrigued but unfamiliar? To help break down everything you need to know about titanium dioxide—including how it's used, who it's best for, and potential drawbacks—we tapped board-certified dermatologists Anetta Reszko, MD, and Connie Yang, MD. Read on for a deep dive into titanium Reszko, MD, is a clinical assistant professor of dermatology at Weill Cornell Medical College, an assistant attending dermatologist at New York Presbyterian Hospital, and a board-certified dermatologist practicing in New York City and Rye, New York. Connie Yang, MD, is a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist at PFRANKMD by Dr. Paul Jarrod Frank in New York dioxide is "a naturally occurring oxide of titanium. It is a brilliant white powder and is commonly used as a whitening or brightening agent," explains Reszko. "It also has excellent opacity, meaning it can effectively block light," she adds. This makes titanium oxide great for UV protection products, specifically mineral sunscreens (where it's used alongside zinc oxide) and hybrid formulations. "Titanium dioxide provides broad-spectrum protection against both UVA and UVB rays, which are the two main types of ultraviolet radiation from the sun that can damage the skin," Reszko explains." Digging into those sun protection benefits, "titanium dioxide is very stable upon exposure to UVA, UVB, and visible sunlight, meaning it doesn't break down or lose its effectiveness as quickly as chemical sunscreens do," Reszko explains. "This makes it a good option for prolonged sun exposure. Along with the broad-spectrum protection benefits, titanium dioxide can "help absorb oil, which can be beneficial for oily and acne-prone skin," Yang tells us. Reszko says there are cosmetic benefits, too: "Titanium dioxide... can help even out skin tone in some formulations. It also acts as a light-diffusing agent, reducing the appearance of imperfections and giving a smoother finish." Titanium dioxide is "usually safe for use on most skin types, including sensitive skin and skin prone to irritation or acne," Reszko tells us. "It doesn't penetrate the skin, making it less likely to cause irritation or allergic reactions (versus chemical sunscreens that can trigger skin sensitivities)." Yang says it's even "suitable for those with rosacea and eczema." The short answer: It depends on your needs. Given the efficacy and safety, one might wonder if titanium dioxide is the best SPF ingredient of them all. But ultimately, the best sunscreen is the one you'll wear. While mineral sunscreens with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide tend to be the better choice for those with sensitive skin—and titanium dioxide has those added benefits of helping mattify oil and create a more even skin tone—Yang says that chemical sunscreens "tend to come in more elegant formulations that do not leave a noticeable white cast." Conversely, while chemical sunscreens banish the dreaded white cast associated with mineral formulas, they "can be irritating for those with sensitive skin," says Yang. Read the original article on Byrdie
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
The One Thing You Shouldn't Do When You Get a Pedicure, According to a Dermatologist
The One Thing You Shouldn't Do When You Get a Pedicure, According to a Dermatologist originally appeared on Parade. Summertime sandals look fab with a fresh pedicure, and many people enjoy a mani/pedi ritual as a form of self-care. But what's important to keep in mind when getting one? We spoke with Shari Lipner M.D., Ph.D. and Assistant Professor of Dermatology at Weill Cornell Medicine to get all the deets on how to take care of your feet. Related: The Best Nail Shape for Mature Hands, According to a Celebrity Manicurist The nail tech often asks if you'd like your cuticles trimmed or pushed back, but from a dermatologists point of view, the answer is: neither. "It is a common misconception that cuticles should be cut or pushed back," Dr. Lipner says. "The cuticle is there to protect the nail from infections. It is best to leave that seal on the nail." Especially if you're prone to infections or have psoriasis, have a chat with your nail tech beforehand. "If a person with psoriasis gets a pedicure, it is important that the nail tech is gentle and not overly aggressive. People with active infections should not get pedicures, because it can cause the infection to spread or become worse," Dr. Lipner says. "Of course It is important to use salons that are licensed, clean, and sterilize their equipment." Related: 25 Cool Blue Nail Ideas for the Summer Season Dr. Lipner adds that if a person has thick nails due to friction or trauma, a pedicure can be helpful in thinning down the nail. More good news—regular nail polish usually has no effect on improving or worsening nail conditions. "However, if people do not inspect their nails between manicures and pedicures, a nail disease may be concealed," Dr. Lipner adds. "For example, nail melanomas appear as brown to black streaks in the nail and could be missed if nail polish is covering it. Gel polish can be detrimental to people that have dry brittle nails. The removal process can thin the nails and make them even thinner." Be sure to inspect your nails in between pedicures. "If you or your nail tech notices anything that looks abnormal about your nails, or if you feel pain, make an appointment with a board-certified dermatologist who can diagnose your condition and get you the help that you need," she advises. Related: Julie Kandalec, who has worked with Emily Blunt, Jessica Chastain and Connie Britton says you should never, ever "peel your polish, gel, acrylic or press-ons off, or remove them with a tool before giving them enough time to properly soak," Kandalec tells Parade. The absolute minimum to soak is 15 minutes. Set a timer, because it's longer than it sounds! When you peel off your gel or press ons, you "can cause months of damage, but it will also cause the next enhancement that you want to apply to not adhere as well as it would to a healthy nail. This causes more lifting, and thus a perpetual cycle of damage that's difficult to get back from," she says. The One Thing You Shouldn't Do When You Get a Pedicure, According to a Dermatologist first appeared on Parade on Jun 23, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 23, 2025, where it first appeared.
