England’s chief nurse urges people to look out for family, friends and neighbours to help save lives.

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The new tobacco products are safer than cigarettes but not risk-free, say UK experts.

He said it was “utterly devastating” to discover that he could not join an airline’s training scheme.

Kevin O’Neill is one of 15 people in the world with malignant myopericytoma – and he wants to trace the others.

You’d think that by a certain age, you’d have mastered taking care of your skin and boast a glowing, flawless skin. And indeed, many people have a great skin until their their late 30s, 40s or even 50s.

So, how is it possible that, having skipped acne during your teens and 20s, you’re now suffering?

Alternatively, you may be asking why your acne has returned, after you thought you’d won the battle in your late teens.

According to a previous Health24 article, 85% of adolescents develop mild acne (zits), while 15% develop clinical acne ranging from mild to severe.

University of Cape Town professor and doctor of dermatology, Rannakoe Lehloenya told Health24 that there are many factors that can cause people’s skins to flare up later in life.

Endogenous factors

Acne may be endogenous (caused by internal factors), or it could be exogenous (external factors).

“For some people it is endogenous. Some may be suffering from late onset acne and for others it could be persistent. Persistent acne is more affected by hormones, especially when polycystic ovarian syndrome is involved. Unfortunately, adult acne tends to be more common in women than men.

“In some instances, genetic predisposition plays a significant role. Children of parents whose acne persists into adulthood unfortunately tend to suffer the same fate,” says Lehloenya.

If one eliminates endogenous factors as the cause of adult acne, exogenous factors may be the problem.

Exogenous factors

Lehloenya says that occlusive and comedogenic cosmetic products are one of the causes of exogenous acne. When used on the skin, occlusive cosmetic products, such as petroleum jelly and certain other oils, leave a film which prevents moisture loss from the skin. Comedogenic cosmetics tend to block up the skin’s pores which may result in comedones, better known as blackheads.

“Besides cosmetics, certain medication, such as antiepileptics and antipsychotics cause acne. Steroids are a common cause – whether taken orally or produced by the body in excess.”

Acne! Why now?

Brenda Maye*, a former teacher from Cape Town, recalls how she developed adult acne just before she turned 40. She had become a mom for the third time and because her daughter was already three years old, she knew it couldn’t have anything to do with her hormones.

“While my acne was the least of my dermatological woes, I still found myself asking why and why now, as I didn’t suffer as a teenager or even in my 20s.

“I started my search for a solution. After trying a few products that were quite expensive, a friend finally introduced me to a product with a chemical composition that agrees with my skin.

“I have never looked back. I do still get the odd zit, here and there, but when that happens I know it’s because I haven’t been cleansing my skin properly.

“I also think that making minor changes in my diet made quite a difference – I eliminated as much processed food from my diet as possible,” said Maye.

Standard treatment

Lehloenya says that there is unfortunately no quick fix for a skin affected by acne.

“The best treatment approach is to identify the underlying causes – endogenous, exogenous or both – and find ways of managing them.

“Once you’ve identified the underlying cause, you can address the problem – the condition is not refractory, or stubborn.

“Acne treatment similar to other age groups is the best way forward once you have identified and started managing the underlying drivers,” said Lehloenya.

^{*Not her real name}

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Stefni Herbert

Millions of people worldwide are affected by allergies.

We can be allergic to things we touch, inhale or eat. When we’re allergic to something, our immune system mistakenly believes that the substance is harmful to our body and launches an attack.

An increase in food allergies

Fortunately true allergies are relatively rare, and according to a study published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology less than 4% of the American population have a true allergic reaction to one or more foods.

An allergy can be just a nuisance, causing reactions like runny or congested noses, hives or digestive issues. Allergies should, however, be taken seriously as in extreme cases an allergic reaction can cause anaphylactic shock and even death.

The role of the allergist

An allergist is a doctor who specialises in the diagnosis of allergic diseases. Allergists are trained to identify the factors that trigger allergies and help people treat or prevent allergies.

Before an allergy can manifest, the person firstly has to have the tendency towards an allergy and secondly be exposed to an allergen.   

The most reliable allergy tests are the skin test and blood test. The blood test measures the levels of IgE antibodies in your body after eating certain foods, while in the skin test microscopic amounts of common allergens are placed under the first layer of skin, and if you’re allergic to something, you’ll see a mosquito bite-like bump within 15 to 30 minutes.

Although there is much about allergies that is still not understood, an allergy usually begins with sensitisation when the person is exposed to an allergen.

Repeated exposure to this substance triggers the immune system to form the antibodies that cause the allergic reaction.

Identifiable risk factors

Allergic reactions are notoriously difficult to predict and can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, race or socioeconomic factors. Allergies are more common in children, but can occur for the first time at any age. Allergy symptoms can for example start in childhood, disappear for many years and then start up again during adult life.

The ability to identify allergy sufferers as early as possible is without any doubt a great advantage in avoiding dangerous situations like anaphylaxis.

Allergists are aware that there are certain factors that make some people more likely to become allergy sufferers.

A previous Health24 article lists three main identifiable risk factors for developing allergies:

1. Genetics is arguably the most important factor in determining whether you will have an allergy or not (susceptibility).

2. Your environment will set the process in motion as it will determine which antigens (if any) you are exposed to.

3. Upper respiratory infections are a factor because children who contract viral or bacterial infections of the upper respiratory system before the age of six months are more likely to develop allergies or conditions such as asthma later in life.

Parents under the spotlight

If both parents have allergies, their children are more likely to develop an allergy, although not always the same kind of allergy.

If one parent has an allergy, a child has a 30 to 50% risk of inheriting the tendency to be allergic (atopic), although the specific allergy or allergies may different. This means that if you’re allergic to cats and dogs, your children may be fine with pets but react violently to peanuts, eggs and kiwi fruit, for example.

If both parents suffer from allergies, their children have a 60 to 80% likelihood of developing allergies.

Other clues

A Canadian study came to the conclusion that children who have eczema at age one and who are already “sensitised” to an allergen are seven times more likely than other babies to develop asthma, and significantly more likely to develop a food allergy by age three.

These findings could help doctors better predict which children will go on to develop asthma and allergies.

In addition, the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology recently pinpointed a new gene associated with peanut allergy, offering further evidence that genes play a role in the development of food allergies.

The gene is already known to play a role in other allergy-related conditions, such as eczema, asthma and allergic rhinitis. The findings of the study suggest that this gene plays an important role in the development of not just food allergy but also general allergic predisposition.

Preventing allergies

A strong genetic basis for allergies has been firmly established, and as research progresses it is possible that a way may be found to eliminate the genetic cause of all allergies.

In the meantime, however, the best way of preventing an allergic response – once the allergy has been identified – is to avoid any contact with the allergen.  

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Eugene Lotter

Shockingly, STIs among pregnant women are gaining in numbers. Per the CDC’s recent report, cases of preventable congenital syphilis are up 36%.

These infections – which are passed to the infant – could be stopped if doctors talked to pregnant women about STI testing and treatment.

Syphilis can remain dormant, so a woman may not know she is infected.

Read more: 5 questions gynaecologists have asked their own gynaes

What aren’t doctors already having these talks?

Researchers say doctors don’t want to think about women having new sex partners or their husbands sleeping with other people, while they are pregnant, but both happen.

Most women are tested for certain STIs at the beginning of their pregnancy, and new infections between that test and the birth are a major reason for the syphilis rise.

Read more: 8 vagina changes that mean you’ve just caught an STD

Are there other STIs that can remain dormant?

Herpes can flare up for the first time during pregnancy and can be passed on to the baby. Gonorrhoea and chlamydia can increase miscarriage risk. Once detected, all can be treated with medication.

If your ob-gyn doesn’t bring up STIs, start the conversation yourself.

^{This article was originally published on www.womenshealthmag.com}

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