SkinExplainer
Isotretinoin With Food? Check the Formulation First
Meal instructions differ between isotretinoin products. Confirm the full name on your packet, including ABSORICA or ABSORICA LD, before changing your routine.
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HairEvidence check
JAK Inhibitor Pills for Alopecia Areata: What Trials Found
For severe alopecia areata, daily JAK inhibitor pills are now approved in the US. In two large baricitinib trials, about 36% to 39% of adults on the higher dose had 80% or more of their scalp covered at 36 weeks, against 3% to 6% on placebo. A ritlecitinib trial found similar gains. Most people didn't reach that goal, and the drugs carry rare serious risks. Here is what the trials show.
Bloating & DigestionGuide
Opening a Linzess Capsule: Applesauce, Water and the Beads
Follow the specified mixing method without chewing the beads. Keep the prescription’s meal timing too.
Intimate HealthEvidence check
Lowering the Risk of Passing On Genital Herpes: What Trials Show
Having genital herpes doesn't mean you'll pass it on, and there are proven ways to lower the risk. In a trial of 1,484 couples, a daily antiviral pill for the partner with herpes cut new infections roughly in half overall, from 3.6% to 1.9% over 8 months. Across 6 studies, people who always used condoms had about 30% lower risk of catching it. Here is how the two fit together.
Odor & SweatEvidence check
Microwave Treatment for Underarm Sweat: What Trials Show
An in-office microwave device can destroy underarm sweat glands with heat. In a US sham-controlled trial, 89% of treated people improved at 30 days, but so did 54% of the sham group, and the treated group's response settled at about 69% at a year. A Danish trial found it matched Botox for sweat at one year and kept odor down longer. Here is what the trials show, the side effects and the cost question.
HairExplainer
Topical Minoxidil Around Children: Avoid Skin Contact With Treated Areas
The bottle can stay out of reach while a child touches the application site. Check this contact warning and bring the product history if unusual hair growth appears.
HairEvidence check
Shedding More Hair in Late Summer and Fall? What Studies Show
If your drain fills up every year around late summer, the season may be part of it. In a Swiss study of 823 healthy women with shedding worries, the share of resting hairs peaked in summer and was lowest in late winter. A British study of 14 men found shed hairs peaked in August and September at more than double the winter rate. Here is what seasonal shedding looks like and when to get it checked.
Sleep & NighttimeExplainer
Antidepressants Before an MSLT: Ask for a Written Plan
REM-suppressing medicines and recent withdrawal can affect a daytime nap test. Coordinate preparation with the sleep team and the clinician prescribing your antidepressant.
Menopause & HormonesEvidence check
New Asthma Around Menopause? What Studies Show About HRT
Some women develop asthma for the first time in midlife, and researchers have long suspected hormones. In a Northern European study of 2,322 women, those who went through menopause had 2 to 3 times the odds of new asthma. But studies of hormone therapy disagree: two cohorts linked HRT, especially estrogen alone, to more new asthma, while a UK study of 353,173 women linked it to less. Here is how to make sense of it.
Bloating & DigestionGuide
Prucalopride: Make a Plan for Mood Changes
The US Motegrity label tells patients to stop and contact their prescriber immediately for unusual mood or behavior changes. Prepare the contact plan before treatment.
Odor & SweatExplainer
Rifampin and Orange Sweat: What About Contact Lenses?
Rifampin can color sweat and tears orange-red. Soft contact lenses can stain permanently. Know which changes to report promptly.
Breath & MouthEvidence check
Should You Rinse After Brushing Your Teeth? What Studies Show
UK dental advice says spit, don't rinse, so the fluoride stays on your teeth. The trials are less tidy than the advice. In a 3-year school trial in Lithuania, rinsing with water made no difference to new cavities. In a 2-year adult trial, a no-rinse routine combined with other changes cut new cavities between teeth by about two-thirds. Experts agree the evidence is limited but the advice is consistent. Here is the practical upshot.
