The debate over diet and acne has raged for many years.  However, there seems to be ever increasing evidence that a high glycaemic index diet, dairy intake and carbohydrate intake, features common in a Western diet can be pro-acnegenic. [Meixiong J, Ricco C, Vasavda C et al.  Diet and acne: A … [Read more...] about Polyunsaturated fats and acne

There is no doubt that strength training has lots of benefits in men and women alike.  Strength training does not necessarily mean weight lifting, it could be resistance bands or even just bodyweight exercises such as plank, push ups and sit ups. Strength training has been proven to help with … [Read more...] about The dermatological benefits of strength training

Can cooking photoage you? I do enjoy cooking, when it is done for pleasure and not in a mad rush after work with a time pressure looming over my head.  It was therefore dispiriting to read earlier in March that gas hobs can raise indoor air pollution to higher than that found on a busy UK … [Read more...] about Can cooking photoage you?

We’re living in an era where everything is instant.  We can place an online order in the morning and it can be delivered the same day, share prices can peak or tumble in an instant on a tweet sent from the other side of the globe, and information on any subject can be found online at any time.  … [Read more...] about A tablet for sunburn

The virus that causes cold sores, herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) or human herpes virus 1 (HHV-1) is extremely common. We are probably exposed to it in childhood, usually through oral contact and kissing.  It can also be sexually transmitted from mouth-to-genital contact and as it is highly … [Read more...] about From cold sores to head knocks: unravelling the Alzheimer’s link

We’ve had a good Christmas and we were lucky enough to have a week away after Christmas with the kids which we were very grateful for, despite the 12-13 hour drive as the rest of the continent seemed to have the same idea.  Long travel times, not drinking enough or eating enough fruit or vegetables, … [Read more...] about The cheeky truth about laxative rashes

As we approach Christmas, I do get sad from time to time as it was a time of year my dad really liked.  He loved giving, especially to his grandchildren and he absolutely loved Christmas day and the meal and most importantly the sprouts!  Last year was the first Christmas without him and it was … [Read more...] about Christmas is a time for giving

Acne must be the most common presenting complaint for any teenager seeking dermatological advice and it now also seems to be on the rise. A recent paper in the British Journal of Dermatology looked at trends in the incidence of acne among adolescents and young adults aged 10-24y globally and … [Read more...] about The increasing incidence of acne

Almost a year ago, I wrote about the resurgence of bed bugs due to the boom in travel after the pandemic together with their resistance to the traditional insecticides used to eradicate them.  The outlook was gloomy, with the advice to stringently check any bed before lying on it and get in a … [Read more...] about The ongoing battle with the bedbug

The summer holidays are over, term has restarted for a couple of my kids, one is off to university shortly and we’re back at work.  A huge part of a dermatologist’s work, in the south east of England at least, is in skin cancer management.  The majority of skin cancers we see are directly linked to … [Read more...] about Looking on the bright side