I have
psoriasis. I am among the 2-3% of the world population has it. It is a
skin condition with a
genetic component (thanks mom and dad). It means that I have white plaques on my skin that itch and
shed flakes. I shed so much that I have to sweep my floors daily. I have plaques mainly on my arms and legs, but they can appear
anywhere (some locations linked from this page are NSFW. I'm lucky, I don't have
psoriatic arthritis which affects about a third of all people with psoriasis. People stare at me or pretend not to stare at me in public. I wish they would just
ask me what it is. It isn't contagious. Sometimes people ask if I have a bad sunburn or a regular burn. Little kids ask about my boo boos. Dogs
lick my legs. There are
several different ways to
treat psoriasis including steroids, light treatment, injectable antibodies, and shampoos but it is a chronic condition.
One treatment was recently withdrawn from the market because of lethal side effects. There are
groups for
people who
have psoriasis. As with many medical conditions, you sometimes get
unwelcome suggestions on how to cure it. When I used to work in a hospital environment, the pathologists showed me what it
looks like under a microscope.
posted by sciencegeek
on Jun 21, 2010 -
113 comments
Diseases of the Skin by Gary M. White & Neil H. Cox. All you ever wanted to know about how bad your skin could be - full of images. Possibly NSFW, as some groin photos are included.
posted by youngergirl44
on Jan 3, 2007 -
31 comments
Tax the tan? a new study shows more than a quarter of white female teenagers have had at least three sessions in a tanning booth, Forty-seven percent of 18- and 19-year-old females made three or more visits. The overall rate for boys was far lower, around 7 percent. Note to teenage boys: Go hang out at the tanning booth.
Concerned dermatologists made a bold proposal: Slap a $20 tax on every visit to the tanning salon for people under 18, after all, we tax
Smokes for just the same reason.
Needles to say
The Indoor Tanning Association (Don't miss the upcoming
ITAWorld Expo, Huey Lewis and the News show included!), which represents the nation's 6,000 tanning salons, denounced the idea, noting that moderate exposure to ultraviolet light may actually promote health. UV light helps the body absorb vitamin D, which is important in the development of bones. After all
Nicotine 'reduces Alzheimer's symptoms'. Are taxes a good behavior modification tool?
posted by Blake
on Sep 9, 2003 -
26 comments
