FAMILY & FRIENDSNOV/DEC 2016

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Spotting Skin Conditions

John Otrompke

Your therapist is in a unique position to identify skin conditions.

"What youseem to be, bereally."-Benjamin Franklin

Office Hours and Contact

JuliasTherapeuticMassage.comJulia Cini, CMT, BCTMB703-402-1710Monday-Friday 9AM-9PMEvery Other Saturday 9AM-5PMClosed Sunday

In this Issue

Spotting Skin ConditionsElimination EffectIdentifying a Stroke

Being aware of the first signs of skinconditions will help you know when it'stime to visit a doctor. Here is a shortrefresher on five of the most importantsigns you might see.

1. Butterfly RashThis is a facial rash characterized by itsshape: the middle part of the butterfly ison the bridge of the nose, with "wings"extending onto the cheeks. "It cansignify a range of diseases, from milderconditions like rosacea, significant acne,eczema, and psoriasis, all the way toserious autoimmune connective tissuedisorders such as lupus," says JosephJorizzo, MD, professor and foundingchair of the dermatology department atthe Wake Forest University School of

Medicine in Salem, North Carolina.

2. Infections"Look for any sign of infection, such asa cold sore, which is characterized by apainful bump or blister on the face ornose," says Jill Weinstein, MD, clinicalinstructor of dermatology atNorthwestern University in Chicago."This may be caused by herpes simplex."

Both viral and bacterial infections mayappear as pustules, or tender lesions.They can sometimes look like acne, butmay also be bigger or more isolated thana pimple, Weinstein says.

3. Patchy HairBe alert for round, patchy areas of hairloss, which can be a sign of anautoimmune disease called alopeciaareata, Jorizzo says. "Alopecia isassociated with thyroid disease, but itcan also be upsetting to the patient inand of itself," Jorizzo explains."Prognosis is very good if there is justone little circle, but if they lose theireyebrows or eyelashes, or if it goesaround the bottom of the scalp, thecondition is likely to be more chronic."

4. Symptoms on the NailsNails may also offer evidence of amedical condition. "Signs on the nailsinclude a condition called clubbing,where there's body under the cuticle thatchanges the angle of the nail, so that it'slike an upside down V," Jorizzo says.Clubbing is sometimes accompanied by

A possible skin cancer mole.

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edema, and the cuticle area may feel wet.It can be a symptom of several lungconditions, ranging from chronicbronchitis to lung cancer.Pits in the nails can be a sign of arthritisor psoriasis. Pits resemble a mere dent,perhaps 1 millimeter across. Jorizzoexplains, "In psoriasis, the outer layersof skin turn over very quickly, and whenthey come from under the cuticle, littlepatches fall off, so you get a pit."Finally, a single dark black streak in thenail that comes up on to the cuticle canbe a sign of melanoma.

5. Skin CancerThe most common source of skin cancerdeaths is melanoma, which may beidentified using the ABCDE criteria:Asymmetry. The mole is an unusualshape, not round.Border Irregularity. The edges of themole may be jagged, scalloped, or wavy,or very sharp in one area.Color. The mole shows variation incolor from one area to another. Theremay be multiple shades of tan, brown,black, white, blue, or red.Diameter. The mole is greater than 6millimeters in diameter.Evolving. The mole is new, or anexisting mole has changed in size, shape,or color.

A more informal method of spotting asuspicious mole is called the UglyDuckling Test: when a mole just seemsto catch your attention for some reason."The classic example is when someonehas one thing on them that just doesn'tlook like any other spot on their body,"explains Elizabeth Quigley, MD, aphysician in the dermatology service atMemorial Sloan Kettering CancerCenter in New Jersey. "Let's say theyhave many black moles, but one brownmole. Or most of their moles are roundand small, but they have one that is bigand a different shape. That should beevaluated by a physician."

The most common form of skin canceris basal cell carcinoma. There are alsosome less common varieties that havedifferent symptoms. "Basal cellcarcinoma often presents in the form ofshiny or pearly bumps, which patientsthink are pimples," says Quigley. If thelesion has been there for six months,and sometimes bleeds, that's a warningsign that it is not a pimple.Squamous cell carcinoma, responsible

for about 20 percent of all skin cancerdeaths, has symptoms that are quitedifferent from those of melanoma."Squamous cell carcinoma can presentas firm bumps, scaly patches, or ulcersthat don't get better. The skin is red andthe scale is the kind that doesn't go awaywith moisturizer," Quigley says. "It'sdifferent from just dry skin, and thescale is usually thicker." She sayssquamous cells don't rub off like normaldry skin, and the scaly patch may bleed ifit is removed by pulling or picking.Keep in mind that these are onlyguidelines, and you should have anyconcerns checked out by a qualifiedhealth-care professional. Knowing thewarning signs can be valuable, butnothing replaces a doctor's expertise.

John Otrompke is a health-care writer andconsultant.

Water intake can clarify skin.

Elimination EffectClear Skin Depends on Internal WellnessShelley Burns, N.D.

Identifying a StrokeDo You Know the Warning Signs?

Do you often wonder why a skin blemishhas not resolved or why acne outbreakscontinue in spite of countless therapies?If so, you may need to dig a bit deeperand look inside--inside your body, thatis. Good digestive health and the healthof your colon can mean healthy skin.

The Question Is, How?Both the colon and skin are responsiblefor absorbing and releasing chemicals,water, and other metabolic products.The colon is the largest internal organin the body. Its function is specifically toabsorb food, nutrients, and water.

One function of skin is to help the bodybreathe. It inhales and exhales similar tohow the lungs work. Inhalation andexhalation by the skin allows it to openpores and perspire. So, sweating is agood thing.

When the colon is unable to get rid ofwaste produced from food, the colonbecomes constipated and toxic. The skinalso becomes toxic in trying to perform

the elimination function, and oftenresults in skin eruptions in the form ofacne, eczema, and psoriasis.

PreventionYou can avoid some of this trouble withthese tips:- Consider removing certain foodsfrom your diet--especially dairy. Anallergy to milk and other dairy productscan cause severe acne.- Drink at least 64-80 ounces of waterevery day, as it lubricates the colon andhelps with regularity.- Refrain from dehydrating beverageslike alcohol, coffee, and soda, as theycan cause constipation.- Strive for a daily bowel movement--try 1-3 teaspoons of ground flax seedsadded to your breakfast.

Beautiful skin starts from the inside out.Adopting these practices will not onlyimprove colon and skin health, but willpromote your overall health as well.

Nearly 800,000 Americans have strokesevery year. However, studies show mostAmericans don't know how to recognizefive established warning signs thatindicate when someone is having astroke.

A stroke is when a blood vessel carryingblood to the brain either bursts or isblocked by a clot, thus depriving thebrain of oxygen. According to theAmerican Stroke Association, more than137,000 people die each year fromstroke--on average, that's one personevery four minutes. Risk factors includeage and heredity, as well as arterydisease, diabetes, high cholesterol orblood pressure, physical inactivity,obesity, and smoking,

Five Warning SignsThe best treatment for stroke is the drug

"tissue plasminogen activator" (tPA),but it must be administered within threehours from the first symptoms of thestroke to be most effective. To helpensure the quick recognition of a stroke,familiarize yourself with these fiveestablished warning signs:

--Numbness or weakness of the face,arm, or leg, usually on one side of thebody.

--Sudden trouble walking and loss ofbalance.

--Sudden confusion and difficultyspeaking.

--Severe headache with no obviouscause.

--Vision troubles from one or both

eyes.

Someone suffering a stroke may notshow all five symptoms simultaneously,but if any of these conditions arepresent, seek emergency medicalassistance immediately. Call 9-1-1 andalso record the time that the symptomsfirst presented. Being aware of thewarning signs and being prepared torespond to them quickly could be thedifference between life and death foryou or someone you love.

"The worldreflects what youneed to see, notonly what youwant to see."-Author Unknown

Joy to the world.....during this holiday season! Need areason to be happy, just smile and somebody will smileback:) Keep bundled up while winter approaches in lateDecember. Please bring a new, unwrapped toy to donate toToys For Tots to my office before 12-12-2016 when theMarine Reserve Corps will pick them up for distribution. It'sbeen a pleasure to be of service to you over the years!Looking forward to 2017! Best Wishes, Julia

Julia's Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork, Inc.

3900 Jermantown Road, Suite 300Fairfax, VA 22030