Latest news with #WomenHealth
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
This Is The Most Common Reason Your Ear Piercing Is Getting Infected
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." POV: You finally got that cartilage piercing you've been thinking about. You picked out the perfect starter stud (but have big plans to level-up to a hoop when the time is right) and you're feeling like a certifiable cool girl. Flash forward a few days later and there's just one problem: the piercing is infected—or so you think. The healing process with any piercing might have some bumps in the road (pun intended), including infection. 'By definition, a skin infection is an unwanted bacteria, fungus, or virus on the skin,' Mona A. Gohara, MD, an associate clinical professor of dermatology at Yale School of Medicine and Women's Health advisory board member, says. 'This generally requires some type of intervention to heal, stop spreading, and prevent further occurrences.' And, if it happens to you, just know you're among the nearly 30 percent of people who get an infection, per a 2022 study in the Journal of Nature and Science of Medicine. Infected piercings can occur due to sanitary reasons or just straight-up bad luck. The biggest signs you might have an infection are itchy skin, burning, throbbing, or even a skin rash. Ahead, doctors share everything you need to know about infected ear piercings—the causes, treatment options, how to prevent infections, and when it's time to call your provider. Meet the experts: Mona A. Gohara, MD, is an associate clinical professor of dermatology at Yale School of Medicine and a Women's Health advisory board member. Kenneth A. Kaplan, MD, is an otolaryngologist with ENT and Allergy Associates in New Jersey. Kim Nichols, MD, is a dermatologist, cosmetic surgeon, and the founding director of NicholsMD. Leila Mankarious, MD, is an ENT specialist at Massachusetts Eye and Ear and an associate professor of otolaryngology–head and neck surgery at Harvard Medical School. Tracy Evans, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist and the medical director of Pacific Skin Cosmetic Dermatology. What causes an infected ear piercing? Anyone can get an infected piercing, but it usually happens due to one of two major reasons. Either your piercing site wasn't adequately sterilized before you were pierced, or you didn't take great care of it after you were pierced, Kenneth A. Kaplan, MD, an otolaryngologist at ENT and Allergy Associates in New Jersey, says. Typically, new ear lobe piercings heal in about six weeks, but if you keep touching it during that time, infection may occur. "Twisting and turning a new piercing could damage the delicate skin and hinder the healing process," says dermatologist and cosmetic surgeon Kim Nichols, MD. Your hands can expose your new piercing to germs and bacteria, which can lead to another infection and scarring, she says. While infections can technically occur anywhere on your ear, getting a cartilage piercing may put you at a higher risk (try 40 times higher, per the 2022 study). 'Piercing infections are most likely to occur in areas where the blood supply is low,' says Leila Mankarious, MD, an ENT specialist at Massachusetts Eye and Ear and an associate professor of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery at Harvard Medical School. That's why cartilage piercings have higher infection rates—and a tougher healing process, adds Dr. Kaplan. How To Treat An Infected Ear Piercing If you trust the studio location you got pierced at, it may help to visit and have your ear evaluated before treating the infection at home, Dr. Kaplan says. But most of the time, you can treat your infection at home if you catch it early enough. Here's how, per Nichols. At-Home Treatment For An Infected Ear Piercing Start by washing your hands with soap and water. Grab a saline solution, either store-bought or homemade (dissolve a 1/2 teaspoon of iodine-free sea salt into a cup of distilled water). Do not use alcohol to clean the site, as it can dry out an infection and delay healing. Soak your piercing in the saline solution or use a cotton swab to gently clean around both sides of the earlobe. Avoid using products like cotton balls and gauze since they can catch more easily on the piercing and cause irritation. Air-dry your piercing. The less the piercing is touched and moved around, the better. Repeat three times a day. Medical Treatment "Skin infections are treated based on severity," says Tracy Evans, MD, a dermatologist and the medical director of Pacific Skin Cosmetic Dermatology. "Sometimes we can do local interventions such as cleaning the area with peroxide and water or Hibiclens soap. Other times we need to do oral antibiotics if the infection is more severe." In non-severe cases, you might be prescribed mupirocin or polysporin ointment, says Dr. Evans. If you have a major infection or it involves the cartilage of your ear, you might need to remove the piercing. 'Failure to remove hardware in a timely manner could result in the need for hospitalization for intravenous antibiotics and/or surgical intervention,' Dr. Kaplan says. Your doc may need to drain pus from the infection or even remove the non-salvageable tissue, which could be a pretty big deal and even increase chances of deformity, he warns. How To Prevent An Ear Piercing Infection A huge factor is choosing a piercing shop that's sanitary. 'The more experience someone has in doing piercings—with a reputation for good results—the better the odds of a favorable outcome,' Dr. Kaplan says. Read reviews on the shop and your piercer beforehand, and if you go into a piercing shop and it seems like it's not clean or you just don't get a good vibe, go elsewhere. You can also try to avoid cartilage piercings, specifically. 'No physician will ever recommend piercing the cartilage of the ear,' Dr. Kaplan says. If you do opt for a cartilage earring, follow the after-care instructions perfectly, even after it seems like your piercing is all healed up. 'Not strictly adhering to the post-piercing care instructions would increase the odds of infection,' Dr. Kaplan says. Finally, touching your piercing a lot while it's still a new, open wound, can also expose it to bacteria. Hands off your new accessory, at least in the beginning. When To See A Doctor Ear piercing infections don't typically occur until three to seven days after the initial piercing, Dr. Mankarious says. Redness, discharge, tenderness, and swelling could be signs of a minor infection, but your infection might be severe if you notice increasing redness, pain, pus drainage, major swelling, abscess formation, or a fever, says Dr. Kaplan. If you have a fever higher than 100.4 degrees, you may be dealing with cellulitis, a common and potentially serious bacterial skin infection. You may also have an allergy to the hardware in your ear that can resemble an infection. But unfortunately, it can be tough for non-doctors to figure out the difference, Dr. Mankarious says. Ultimately, if you have severe irritation, your earring becomes embedded in your skin and the piercing is stuck in place, or your infection doesn't improve with at-home treatment in two to three days, it's time to consult your healthcare provider. If you start to develop a fever or the infection starts to spread, seek help immediately. Frequently Asked Questions Do only new ear piercings get infected? 'Infections are most likely to occur during the first week following [a new] piercing, but can arise later on,' Dr. Kaplan says. If you've had pierced ears for eons, you're not totally off the hook, but you are at a lowered risk of just randomly developing an infection. That said, if you pick at an old piercing or it's affected by some sort of trauma, you can get an infection. How do you treat a rejected or migrating piercing? Foreign objects like piercings can be seen as threats by your body, which can cause a negative response at the piercing site, explains Dr. Nichols. "Generally when this happens, the body tries to fight the piercing by pushing it out and healing over it," she says. If it looks like your jewelry is moving away from the original piercing site, it could be migrating and your body may be rejecting it. In this case, make an appointment with your doc who will likely remove the piercing and prescribe further treatment. 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Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Hormone Therapy Can Be Life-Changing—And You Can Start It Sooner Than You Think
Welcome to the Perimenopause Playbook—your guide to navigating the most overlooked and misunderstood phase of the menopausal transition. Read the rest of the stories, from how to get a diagnosis to treatment options to where to actually find good care, here. By now, you've probably heard the negative messaging around hormone therapy (also known as hormone replacement therapy or HRT). It's dangerous! It causes breast cancer! It'll make you gain weight! Except these are half-truths. Hormone therapy can actually be life-changing for menopausal women—and provide the most benefits, with the lowest risks, for perimenopausal women. When we talk about hormone therapy, we're typically referring to low doses of estradiol (the primary form of estrogen in your body during your reproductive years) and progesterone. Unlike the hormones commonly found in birth control, these aren't synthetic hormones—they are known as bioidentical hormones, which have the same chemical makeup as the hormones in our body. Hormone therapy is FDA-approved to alleviate symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, painful sex, and recurrent UTIs. It also offers some pretty amazing benefits, such as preserving bone health, improving heart health, and lowering the risk of diabetes. If a woman doesn't have a uterus, then she typically only takes estrogen, but if she does, she takes both estrogen and progesterone to protect the lining of the uterus from excess thickening. In perimenopause, estrogen and progesterone fluctuate wildly, which can make it a little tricky to find the right dosage (usually you start on the lowest dose and go up based on response, tolerability, and efficacy). This is why ob-gyns will often recommend birth control pills or a progestin IUD—potentially with an added low dose of estradiol—as a first course of action to alleviate symptoms. The birth control can turn off the crazy fluctuating hormones (therefore controlling irregular periods and, in some cases, eliminating them completely). It also provides contraception since you can still get pregnant while in perimenopause. But for perimenopausal women who haven't had great experiences with birth control, are experiencing bothersome symptoms, and aren't planning to get pregnant, experts agree that hormone therapy can be a good option for them. 'For young people who are having [perimenopausal] symptoms, unless they have an absolute contraindication like breast cancer, the benefits are going to outweigh the risks,' says Jan Shifren, MD, a gynecologist, reproductive endocrinologist, and director of the Mass General Hospital Midlife Women's Health Center. Some other contraindications are a history of coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, liver disease, estrogen-sensitive cancers, and unexplained vaginal bleeding. 'Once you are in your 50s, then you have to be a little bit more concerned about risks than a young person does.' For women over 60 who take estrogen and progesterone for more than four years, research has shown there's a slight increase in breast cancer risk—1 out of every 1,000 women—as well as an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and dementia (more on that in 'The Great Hormone Therapy Comeback' here). To experience the most benefits with the lowest risks, it's ideal to start hormone therapy before you turn 60 or within 10 years of your last period. That said, you can begin as early as your 30s. In fact, there are young patients with premature ovarian insufficiency (when a woman's ovaries stop working before she's 40) who require hormone therapy much earlier than others going through natural menopause. However, Dr. Shifren says perimenopausal women shouldn't start hormone therapy to prevent symptoms. Rather, they should think of hormone therapy as a potential treatment option for symptoms affecting their quality of life. Determining when to stop taking it, if at all, depends on your goals for the therapy weighed against potential side effects and risks. Make sure to discuss this with a certified menopause practitioner. Testosterone Enters the Chat Spoiler alert: Women produce three times more testosterone than estrogen before menopause. Testosterone gradually declines as we age, and that can impact mood, energy level, libido (a.k.a. sex drive), bone health, and muscle mass. As menopause has gone mainstream, some female urologists are advocating that women add testosterone to their hormone therapy regimen. The problem? There are zero FDA-approved testosterone products for women, which makes it difficult for us to access and afford it. 'The role of testosterone is just a lesson in gender bias,' says Kelly Casperson, MD, a urologist. 'Because 100 percent of women will have low testosterone and there's zero FDA-approved products. About 20 percent of men will have low testosterone and there are plenty of FDA-approved products.' Not all health care practitioners agree that women should be prescribed testosterone, though. Dr. Shifren, a gynecologist, notes that the actual benefit of testosterone above that of a placebo is very small—though she acknowledges a placebo works—and she prefers to get to the root cause of symptoms like low libido. 'Low libido is incredibly common for women, and it's often due to things like fatigue, stress, relationship conflict, depression, anxiety, and painful sex,' she explains. 'It's much easier to write prescriptions for off-label compounded testosterone and send someone on their way. But when you really take a thorough look at their history, you find a lot of things that people can improve to make their lives better.' Dr. Casperson argues that, placebo effect or not, there isn't harm in prescribing women low-dose testosterone—five milligrams per day in the form of a gel or a cream—if it improves their symptoms and they monitor their levels. (Though it's not recommended to go on T if you can or are planning to get pregnant, as it could affect the baby.) Consult a health care professional to discuss potential side effects and risks. This story appears in the Summer 2025 issue of Women's Health. You Might Also Like Jennifer Garner Swears By This Retinol Eye Cream These New Kicks Will Help You Smash Your Cross-Training Goals
SBS Australia
16-07-2025
- Health
- SBS Australia
Dementia is not a normal part of ageing …
LISTEN TO SBS Indonesian 16/07/2025 17:33 Indonesian Dr Cely Gultom is a GP and GP specialist in Women's Health. She explained that the first contact to deal with dementia is GP. She reiterated that dementia occurs due the damage of brain cells and therefore it is not true that dementia is a normal part of ageing. And why dementia happens - there are still more to learn about it. - The important message she would like to tell us is that as we age, changes occur to our brain that can affect our memory and thinking. Which is normal. But when we notice changes in our thinking or behaviour or concerned about increasing lapse in our memory, we should see a doctor. Even though there is no single medical test to show if someone has dementia. National Dementia Helpline: 1800 100 500 or Listen to SBS Indonesian every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday at 3 pm. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to our podcasts .
CTV News
07-07-2025
- Health
- CTV News
Why women might feel less angry as they age, new study reveals
Many women know midlife can bring big emotional changes, but a new study suggests one change might actually be positive: women tend to feel and express less anger as they get older. The research , published in Menopause , the journal of The Menopause Society, analyzed self-reported data from more than 500 women aged 35 to 55 who participated in the Study of Midlife Women's Health and Stress (SMWHS). This group was followed through different stages of menopause to understand how their experiences, including emotions like anger, changed over time. The study found that most types of anger decrease with age, especially as women move through menopause. 'Anger expression indicators decreased with age, suggesting emotion regulation may occur during midlife,' the researchers said. The study looked at: State anger: The kind of anger you feel in the moment The kind of anger you feel in the moment Trait anger: To be anger-prone and experience difficulty letting go of it To be anger-prone and experience difficulty letting go of it Anger temperament: A tendency to experience and express anger indiscriminately A tendency to experience and express anger indiscriminately Anger reaction: Anger that flares up when you're criticized or treated unfairly Anger that flares up when you're criticized or treated unfairly Anger expressed aggressively (anger-out): When you take your anger out on others When you take your anger out on others Anger suppressed (anger-in): When you hold it in and keep it to yourself When you hold it in and keep it to yourself Anger control: Ability to calm yourself down and manage your emotions Ability to calm yourself down and manage your emotions Hostility: Antagonism toward someone or something, or constantly being ready for a fight What did they find? The study showed that many of these anger types, like anger reaction and hostility, drop significantly with age. Women were less likely to lash out, feel easily provoked, or hold a combative mindset as they got older. Only anger that was kept in (anger-in) didn't seem to change with age. On the flip side, anger control actually improved, meaning women became better at handling difficult feelings. The findings suggest that as women get older, they experience more complex emotions and develop better ways to regulate anger. 'Some of these changes may be seen in midlife and contribute to a sense of integration and maturity, supporting the development of generativity with aging,' the study said. Why it matters Researchers say anger in women hasn't been studied enough, especially during menopause. 'Despite evidence first published in 1980 linking dimensions of women's anger to coronary artery disease, a leading cause of death for women, the study of anger in midlife women has been limited,' they wrote, adding that it likely reflects 'the practice of discouraging women's expression of anger.' The researchers say more studies are needed to understand how women deal with anger day-to-day, and how that knowledge could support mental health and well-being.
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Lizzo Shares the 3 Meals She Ate to Achieve Her Weight Loss Goal and Why She Eats Dinner Before 5 P.M.
Lizzo revealed that she reached her "weight release goal" in January 2025 The singer is on the cover of Women's Health's latest issue In the interview, she discussed meals that helped her lose weightWhen it comes to her weight loss journey, these three meals are "Good as Hell" for Lizzo. The performer, whose real name is Melissa Viviane Jefferson, 37, is featured on the cover of Women's Health's latest issue, where she candidly opens up about her experience working on her physical health. In January 2025, the musician announced that she had achieved her "weight release goal," sharing a picture that showed she had lowered her body mass index (BMI) by 10.5 and lost 16% of her body fat since January 2023. The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now! Lizzo said in the new interview published online Tuesday, July 1, that her meals consist mainly of protein and vegetables. Her go-to breakfast includes two scrambled eggs, chicken sausage, and a cauliflower hash brown. For lunch, the singer switches between three meals: a shredded Thai chicken salad, lettuce wraps stuffed with tuna, and sliced chicken breast. As for dinner, however, she tends to stick with the same routine, choosing a turkey meatloaf with cauliflower mashed potatoes and green beans. Dinner is something that comes earlier for Lizzo, typically before 5 p.m. "I have GERD [gastroesophageal reflux disease], so my body needs time to digest food before I go to sleep, so acid doesn't roll up to my throat," she told the magazine. According to the Mayo Clinic, GERD happens "when stomach acid flows back up into the esophagus and causes heartburn." In addition to heartburn, other symptoms include backwash of food or sour liquid in the throat, upper belly or chest pain, and trouble swallowing. Lizzo made the change to her diet after being vegan for a year — something she said she was not approaching in the "healthiest way." Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. She told the outlet that she "wasn't getting the nutrients" she needed as she was mostly eating "bread, soy, cashew cheese, and meat substitutes." Read the original article on People
