SkinThe short version
Using an Opioid Pain Patch? Keep Direct Heat Away
A hot-water bottle or heat pad over the patch can release a dangerous amount of medicine.
ArticlesTopic 07
Skin
Adult acne, dark patches, bumps and redness. Evidence over hype for the skin you’re in.
SkinExplainer
Purple Bruises on Your Forearms After 60: Actinic Purpura Explained
Dark purple blotches on the backs of the hands and forearms, often from a bump you don't remember, have a name: actinic (or senile) purpura. It comes from years of sun thinning the skin's support, and it affects more than 1 in 10 people over 50. Here is why it happens, what small trials of treatments found, and which bruises need a blood test.
SkinComparison
Rosacea Prescriptions Compared: Which Creams, Gels and Pills Have the Best Evidence
Rosacea treatments target different problems: bumps and pimples, background redness, or eye symptoms. A Cochrane review of 106 trials with more than 13,600 people found high-quality evidence for azelaic acid, ivermectin cream, brimonidine gel for redness, low-dose doxycycline and low-dose isotretinoin. Here is how they line up.
SkinEvidence check
Rosacea Triggers: Alcohol, Spicy Food and Heat, What Studies Show
In a survey of 1,066 people with rosacea, sun, stress and hot weather topped the list of flare triggers, with alcohol and spicy food further down. A study of 82,737 US nurses found women who drank more were more likely to develop rosacea over 14 years, with white wine and liquor showing the link. But triggers differ from face to face. Here is what the research shows and how to find yours.
SkinMyth buster
Sealed Tattoo Ink Is Not a Guarantee Against Contamination
FDA says even unopened ink, including ink labeled sterile, can contain microorganisms.
SkinEvidence check
Can the Shingles Vaccine Lower Dementia Risk? What the Wales Study Found, and Its Critics
A 2025 study in Wales used a birth-date cutoff to compare similar older adults and found the older live shingles vaccine was linked to about 20% fewer new dementia diagnoses, with a stronger effect in women. A 2026 analysis argued similar studies imply impossibly large effects. Either way, the reason to get vaccinated is to prevent shingles and its lasting nerve pain.
SkinChecklist
Silicone Scar Products: Check the Skin and Your Therapist’s Instructions
For a product already advised by your therapist, confirm when and how to use it on healed skin.
SkinChecklist
Skin Cancer Signs on Darker Skin: Check Your Palms, Soles, Nails and Mouth
Skin cancer in Black, Latina, Asian, Native American and other women with darker skin is often found late, when it's harder to treat. It can show up where the sun rarely reaches, like the soles, palms, nails, mouth and genitals. Here is the American Academy of Dermatology's checklist of warning signs.
SkinMyth buster
Sudden Swelling Does Not Always Mean an Allergy
Get the appropriate urgent help; let the clinician assess the swelling and possible cause.
SkinChecklist
Tacrolimus Ointment: Plan Sun Protection With Your Prescriber
Discuss outdoor plans and artificial UV exposure with the team managing your eczema prescription.
SkinComparison
Terbinafine Skin Products: Check the Form Before Using the Instructions
A one-time solution and a cream have different directions, even when the medicine name matches.
SkinChecklist
Topical Fluorouracil: Keep Pets Away From Medicine and Treated Skin
Review storage, contact and disposal arrangements for your prescribed cream or solution.
