Osteoporosis Archive

Ask the doctors

Q. I was worried about drying my nails with a lamp or light box at the nail salon because of the potential risk of cancer from the ultraviolet radiation, but my salon recently switched to LED lamps. Are they safer?

A. The light boxes used to cure polish during gel manicures, and to dry traditional nail polish, have raised some concern because — like tanning beds — they emit ultraviolet A (UVA) radiation, which is associated with a higher cancer risk. A 2014 study in JAMA Dermatology found that the level of UVA exposure associated with a gel manicure every two weeks probably isn't high enough to increase the risk of skin cancer significantly, but you are wise to be aware of the issue.

What to do about prickly heat, poison ivy, and other uncomfortable skin reactions.

 Image: © LCOSMO/Getty Images

Sunburn is a big risk in the summer. You know the rules: seek the shade, wear protective clothing, and use a broad-spectrum sunscreen (with an SPF of at least 30). But sunburn isn't the only summer skin problem.

Plant-related rashes

Many people are allergic to urushiol, an oil found in poison ivy and poison oak. Exposure occurs when you touch the plant directly, maybe while gardening, or indirectly, by touching an object that's picked up the oil (like a shoe). You can spread the oil wherever you touch your body until the oil is washed off. Two to 10 days later, the affected skin develops a red, itchy, blistering, oozing rash. It's not contagious, though you may feel like it's spreading. "The allergic reaction continues to unfold even after you've washed off the oil," says Dr. Jason Frangos, a dermatologist at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital.

Men may avoid activity because of their knee pain, but movement is exactly what they need.

It is perhaps the ultimate exercise catch-22: it's hard to move with knee osteoarthritis, but moving helps relieve osteoarthritis knee pain.

More than 30 million Americans have osteoarthritis, the most common kind of arthritis. While osteoarthritis can affect the hips, lower back, neck, and fingers, it occurs most often in the knees. In fact, an estimated 10% of men ages 60 and older have symptoms of knee osteoarthritis.

On call

Q. Years ago, my doctor told me a skin growth on my back was a seborrheic keratosis. Now I have more, and they seem to be multiplying over time. Is there any way to prevent them?

A. Seborrheic keratoses are raised, rough lesions that appear as a waxy brown, black, or tan growth. This common skin condition often shows up after age 50 on the trunk, back, face, or neck. The good news is that even though keratoses can increase in number over time, they aren't cancerous or contagious.

Ask the doctors

 Image: © scyther5/Thinkstock

Q. I've read that getting the flu shot annually will weaken my immune system over time. Is this true?

A. A study published in the March 1, 2017, issue of The Journal of Infectious Diseases investigated whether getting an annual vaccination against influenza (flu) can weaken your body's natural ability to protect itself from the disease. Past studies have raised similar concerns. Researchers at the University of Bergen in Norway followed 250 health care workers. Some of them got a flu vaccination every year from 2009 through 2013. The others only received the vaccine once in 2009 and not in the years from 2010 to 2013. The researchers then took blood samples before the influenza season (and before people were vaccinated that season), from the members of both groups and looked at different markers to gauge how well their immune systems would respond to the influenza virus. They found that getting an annual flu vaccination did not weaken the immune system. As a group, the people who got the flu shot annually appeared to have a better immune response to influenza than those vaccinated only once.

On call

Q. I have just recovered from the flu. How soon can I resume exercise again and can I go straight back to my previous routine?

A. The recommendations about when to return to exercise after respiratory infections, such as the flu, colds, or bronchitis, are vague. One major reason is that each person's response to illness is so variable. But here is my general advice.

The best prevention for bone-thinning osteoporosis begins early — during the first two decades of life, when you can most influence your peak bone mass by getting enough calcium and vitamin D and doing bone-strengthening exercise. If you are over age 20, there's no need to be discouraged. It's never too late to adopt bone-preserving habits.

If you are a man younger than 65 or a premenopausal woman, these five strategies can help you shore up bone strength as a hedge against developing osteoporosis.

Can adopting a healthier diet help fight prostate cancer? That's a question men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer often ask their doctors.

Several studies have shown that in countries where men eat a typical "Western" diet containing a large amount of meat, the incidence of prostate cancer, especially aggressive prostate cancer, is higher than in countries where plant-based foods are a primary part of the diet. Unfortunately, these studies weren't designed to prove cause and effect. So for now, definitive answers about prostate cancer and diet aren't yet in — although researchers are actively studying this topic.