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There is a significant association between vitamin D deficiency and an increased risk of statin-related symptomatic myalgia (muscle pain) in the general population; but how does it affect HIV-infected persons?

Here’s what they did.

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This study aimed to determine the effect of a green tea supplement on anthropometric (measurement of the size and proportions) and inflammatory factors in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Here’s what they did.

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CAM is frequently used by children with pain in the USA and many parents report benefits for their child’s symptoms.

What we know

Chronic pain is reported by 15-25% of children. The objective of this study was to provide estimates of CAM use by children with pain in the United States.

The study revealed

CAM use among children with pain was associated with female sex, higher income, and presence of 4+ comorbidities.

The 2 most commonly used CAM were biologically-based therapies (47.3%) (e.g., special diets and herbal supplements) and manipulative or body-based therapies (46.3%) (e.g., chiropractic and massage).

Researchers at East-West Neo Medical Center, in Seoul, Korea, treated people with moderately severe acne vulgaris. (more…)

Researchers from Cairo University in Egypt compared pulsed dye laser (PDL), intense pulsed light (IPL), and light-emitting diode (LED) phototherapy. (more…)

The diet-acne relationship is considered important in traditional Chinese medicine.

Researchers from The Chinese University of Hong Kong identified several associations. (more…)

Drs. Jonette Keri and Rajiv Nijhawan from the University of Miami in Florida have reviewed the evidence.

Here are the highlights. (more…)

For the average American kid — you know the one: has caring parents, lives in a nice place, with no wants or needs — acne is likely to be the first event that can not be easily controlled to their satisfaction.

It’s God’s way of saying, “Look, there are going to be things in you life that you just have to make the best of. Get used to it. You can practice on acne.”

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In an adolescent’s zeal to punish pimples, there is a tendency to select the most harsh, abrasive skin cleansers available. If sandpaper could be made to produce suds, some young people (and adults) would use it.

Craig Burkhart, MD, of the Department of Dermatology at Ohio University School of Medicine has a better approach.

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Herbalists recommend more than a dozen herbal remedies for acne and scarring, according to a recent article.

Unfortunately, only 1 of these herbals is supported by the results of a study in patients. (more…)

Acne cosmetica was first described over 30 years ago. It was proposed that substances in cosmetic products caused the formation of comedones (blackheads) and, in some cases, an eruption. Changes in cosmetic ingredients make acne cosmetica much less common today, although it is reported occasionally.

Dr. Zoe Draelos, a clinical associate professor in the Department of Dermatology at Wake Forest University and Bowman Gray School of Medicine, published a review that answers many issues about cosmetics, cosmeceuticals and acne. Here are 4 myths, dispelled.

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Acne vulgaris has anecdotally been attributed to diet.

This review by researchers at The George Washington University Medical Center, in Washington, DC, found convincing data supporting the role of dairy products and high-glycemic-index foods. (more…)

Faculty members from Hamdard University in New Delhi, India have published a review on Medscape of treatment options for acne, with emphasis on herbal treatment options.

Here’s a summary of the herbal section. (more…)

I recently came across a website advocating herbals to treat or prevent acne.

The website isn’t important, but the results of my PubMed searches might be useful. (more…)

This product, when used as directed, produces an industrial bleach that can cause serious harm.

Swallowing doses of this bleach, such as those recommended in the labeling can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and symptoms of severe dehydration. (more…)

Its claimed anti-pain and anti-inflammatory properties in homeopathic medicine have led to a number of studies in patients with acute pain.

Researchers at University of Witten/Herdecke, in Germany reviewed the evidence for using St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) for pain conditions in homeopathic dental practice. (more…)

Cannabis use is associated with an increased risk of psychosis. It’s suggested that genetic variation in the AKT1 gene might influence this adverse effect.

Researchers at Kings College London, in the UK, studied the connection. (more…)

The surest way to know that there is no truly effective treatment for a condition is to count the number of treatment recommendations. The more recommendations, the less likely it is that any of them have a significant effect. I’m not sure if there is a tipping point. Whether 6 or 12 or 20 recommended treatments guarantee that you will have less than complete cure.

Here are some of the recommendations from just one article.

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A big challenge in treating acne is sticking with treatment over the long haul. Dr. Mary Lupo, a dermatologist and clinical professor at Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans, says there are four secrets to helping people stick with their acne treatment.

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