All about hair loss (alopecia) - Deutsche Welle expert interview

Dr. Andreas Finner (Trichomed Praxis Berlin) talks about what everyone can do to keep a full head of hair and about the best methods for treating hair loss:



Today's Hair-Loss Treatments: Drugs

Minoxidil shampoo

Patients can buy an OTC shampoo with an ingredient called minoxidil. Minoxidil (Rogaine) fights androgenic alopecia in both men and women. It's still not entirely clear how minoxidil works. Used properly -- twice a day, massaged deep into the scalp -- it slows new hair loss. Two-thirds of men do get acceptable hair growth. "It is not something a bald person would use, but someone starting to go bald would use it. The goal is to maintain the hair you have."

An example from Amazon:



Propecia pill

Propecia (finasteride) works only for men. It keeps the male sex hormone testosterone from forming its DHT by-product. Many men use both minoxidil shampoo and Propecia pill for maximum effect.

Today's Hair-Loss Treatments: Surgery

Surgeons can transplant hair follicles from the sides and back of the head to the top of the head.

Future Hair-Loss Treatments

- "Hair cloning" although a more accurate name is hair duplication. Follicular stem cells are packaged into follicle-inducing implants.

- Gene therapy. A gene called sonic hedgehog can convert resting hair into growing hair.

Sonic the Hedgehog animation character from Amazon:



References:

Future Hair-Loss Treatments Promise What's not Hair Today will Be Hair Tomorrow. WebMD.

Hidradenitis Suppurativa

Hidradenitis suppurativa, also known as acne inversa, is a chronic skin disease characterized by recurrent boil-like lumps (nodules) under the skin. Hidradenitis suppurativa was once thought to be a rare condition because only the most severe cases were reported. However, recent studies have shown that the condition affects at least 1 in 100 people when milder cases are also considered.

There are three levels in the management of hidradenitis suppurativa:

- topical options
- systemic options
- surgical methods including laser therapy

Dr. Christian Baum, a Mayo Clinic dermatologist, takes a look at a chronic skin condition called hidradenitis suppurativa: overview of the condition and treatment possibilities.



References:

Hidradenitis suppurativa: a review of cause and treatment. Curr Opin Infect Dis. 2011 Apr;24(2):118-23. doi: 10.1097/QCO.0b013e3283428d07.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21192260

Hidradenitis suppurativa. NIH http://buff.ly/1Jiligz

Carpal tunnel syndrome animation

NHSChoices: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a condition that causes pain, numbness and a burning or tingling sensation in the hand and fingers. Watch this animation and find out what the carpal tunnel is and what causes CTS.

http://youtu.be/F3VryalTK14

"Gluten sensitivity" may be caused by FODMAPs in everyday foods: Fructose in fruit, Lactose in milk, Galactans in beans, Polyols in chewing gum

FODMAPs is an acronym for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols. FODMAPs are sugars that draw water into the intestinal tract. They may be poorly digested or absorbed, and become fodder for colonic bacteria that produce gas and can cause abdominal distress.

FODMAPs are FLF-GP:

- Fructose: A sugar found in many fruits (hence the name), for example, apples, pears, watermelon, mangoes, grapes, blueberries, tomatoes and tomato concentrate, and all dried fruits; vegetables like sugar-snap peas, sweet peppers and pickles; honey; agave; and jams, dressings and drinks made with high-fructose corn syrup.

- Lactose: Sugar in milk from cows, goats and sheep, present in ice cream, soft cheeses, sour cream and custard.

- Fructans: Soluble fiber found in bananas, garlic, onions, leeks, artichokes, asparagus, beets, wheat and rye.

- Galactans: Complex sugars prominent in dried peas and beans, soybeans, soy milk, broccoli, cabbage and brussels sprouts.

- Polyols: Sugar alcohols (sweeteners) isomalt, mannitol, sorbitol and xylitol, present in stone fruits like avocado, cherries, peaches, plums and apricots.

People with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or gluten sensitivity often find that their symptoms lessen or disappear when avoiding foods rich in FODMAPs; however, it can take 6-8 weeks on a low-FODMAPs diet to see a significant improvement.

References:

When Gluten Sensitivity Isn't Celiac Disease - NYTimes.com http://nyti.ms/1EmXFDl
Celiac disease and nonceliac gluten sensitivity - 2017 review in Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology http://buff.ly/2pI2x61

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) - NHSChoices video

NHSChoices: Ankylosing spondylitis is a type of arthritis that affects parts of the spine. In this video, an expert describes the long-term effects of the condition, its most common symptoms and the different treatments available.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cYuwDkykoA

What happens when someone gets heat stroke? TED-Ed video

Have you ever suffered from exertional heat stroke? This condition is caused by intense activity in the heat and is one of the top three killers of athletes and soldiers in training. Douglas J. Casa explains heat stroke's tremendous effects on the human body and details an action plan in case it ever happens to someone you know.

Lesson by Douglas J. Casa, animation by Cinematic.

Bedbugs - National Geographic video

An army of these can attack a person 500 times in one night:



How To Get Rid of Bed Bugs - The Home Depot video:

Healthcare social media #HCSM - top articles

Here are my suggestions for some of the top articles related to healthcare social media (#HCSM) in the past 2-4 weeks:

Impact of Social Media on Dissemination of Research: close correlation between when I tweet the paper and downloads. Prior to me blogging and tweeting about the paper, it was downloaded twice. After, it immediately got 140 downloads http://buff.ly/1yf4ylW

Is It Okay to Choose a Children's Hospital Based on Social Media Presence? http://buff.ly/10mSLae - Apparently, yes, it works.

Self-organization on social media: endo-exo bursts and baseline fluctuations. http://buff.ly/10mTMzc - Twitter is an excitable medium

Naturally Occurring Peer Support through Social Media - Study of Individuals with Mental Illness Using YouTube http://buff.ly/10n1U2t

Online Mate-Retention Tactics on Facebook Are Associated With Relationship Aggression (study) http://buff.ly/1oC0Anl

Wikipedia Emerges as Trusted Internet Source for Ebola Information http://buff.ly/1DterO5

Reputation only: US News & World Report will use Doximity as sole source for physician surveys for "Best Hospitals" http://buff.ly/1ycubDy

The Web Is Dying; Apps Are Killing It - mobile users spend 86% of their time on apps and only 14% on the Web - WSJ http://buff.ly/1xx4QHM

Blogging References for ACR 2014 Social Media Bootcamp http://buff.ly/1EUOnhs

A quick list to Social Media Guidelines for Medics: take your pick http://buff.ly/1qd7y2S

Improving your account security - advice from Google engineer Matt Cutts http://buff.ly/1pcewEs

How to active Find my iPad/iPhone http://buff.ly/1pcfjp4 -- Find my Android device http://buff.ly/1tdoiTo

We found a way how not to use social media, if you run a medical journal http://buff.ly/1xU6iEf

Make social media promotion a "standard of care." Here's how you prove it: Create social media posts for a study and include shortened links. Count the clicks on those links. If that number is greater than zero, the post increased article readership. http://buff.ly/1zRQgZh

The articles were selected from Twitter @DrVes and RSS subscriptions. Please feel free to send suggestions for articles to clinicalcases at gmail.com and you will receive an acknowledgement in the next edition of this publication.



Cycle of Online Information and Physician Education (click here to enlarge the image).




Duty calls. Image source: Xkcd.com, Creative Commons license.

Neurological center at Cleveland Clinic Florida: Egil and Pauline Braathen Center

A look inside the Egil and Pauline Braathen Center -- the brand new 144,000 square foot Braathen Center houses world-class neurological services and comprehensive cancer program (video):



"Born in London, Mrs. Braathen was a fashion model and buyer and subsequently developed her own fashion business. She married Egil Braathen, a Norwegian businessman, who became one of the country’s wealthiest men, owning and developing property throughout Norway and in other parts of the world, including the United States. He died in 2009, after suffering the debilitating effects of Alzheimer’s disease for more than a decade. Today Mrs. Braathen is a resident on the private apartment ship “The World,” traveling all over the globe but always returning to Cleveland Clinic Florida for her medical care.

“Through this donation, I want to celebrate my husband’s genius and success, in the certain belief that it will improve many lives for years to come,” Mrs. Braathen said."

It all started with a love story and Mrs. Braathen had written a book about it:

http://memoirsofamarriage.com/Memoirs_of_A_Marriage/Memoirs_of_a_Marriage.html

Related:

Cleveland Clinic Braathen Center Opening
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7wWuo1g0Ww

$30 Million Gift Will Transform Neurology
http://floridacampaign.clevelandclinic.org/news/30-million-gift-will-transform-neurology/

Braathen Center Opens in Florida
http://giving.clevelandclinic.org/articles/braathen-center-opens-florida

Disclaimer: I am an Allergist/Immunologist, Cleveland Clinic Florida and a Clinical Associate Professor, FAU Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine.

How to combine exercise and diet in one acivity: Should hospitals teach patients how to grow vegetables?

Google has a vegetable garden

Google was doing it in 2007: In Growing our connection to food, Google explained they launched a mini-farm on campus with 300 self-watering containers. The correct name for the containers is sub-irrigated planters (SIPs) and they can be purchased commercially ($30) or made from plastic totes.

Sports team has a mini-farm

San Francisco Giants have a mini-farm on their stadium growing kale, Swiss chard, lemon grass, sage and more. The garden—one of the first of its kind at an American sports stadium—comes as a bizarre sight to some fans who associate stadiums with more traditional fare. But the Giants say that the Garden, as they call it, promotes healthy eating. In a city with no shortage of fussy foodies, it has attracted its share of devotees.



Hospitals could be next

The Giants garden may be an almost utopian oasis of tranquility, with its rows of lushly packed planter beds and water-conserving, vertical garden towers. But it is also a popular vantage point—complete with tables and seating. Fans who want to stay planted inside the garden can still watch the game action through a series of cutouts in the center-field wall or follow it on one of TVs.

Quoting the late author Lewis Grizzard, it reads: “It’s difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato.”

It is possible that hospitals that focus on wellness initiatives may be interested in launching their SIP-powered gardens as an educational initiative for patients and staff.

Related videos:



Google Garden Planting. Executive Sous-Chef Jennifer Johnston leads a team of volunteers to plant a Growing Connection garden on Google campus.



Google Garden Harvest. Rebecca Jepsen from Santa Clara County Master Gardeners helps Jennifer maintain and harvest the garden.



The Growing Connection Gardens at Google. Google Chief Internet Evangelist and Co-Chair of the Global Advisory Board of The Growing Connection Vint Cerf stopped in and helped unveil The Growing Connection's Gardens at the Googleplex on May 1, 2007.

References:

Official Google Blog: Growing our connection to food http://buff.ly/1oC2lkr

For San Francisco Giants, the Star of This World Series Is a Vegetable Garden - WSJ http://buff.ly/1sY8qpM

"Food gardening is the most intelligent adult endeavor on earth and ought to be understood by anyone who eats. You eat healthier, fresher, tastier food, enjoy gentle exercise, and make new friends." Source: http://amzn.to/RpbdJx

Gardening helps you burn calories - 160 calories for 30 minutes of gardening http://buff.ly/1ekjB7L

Why Gardening is Good for Your Health (infographic) http://bit.ly/10JAhzU

He who plants a garden plants happiness. — Chinese proverb