Blue is a funny colour; it can bring out different emotions in people depending on the context; Sadness in the Disney/Pixar movie “Inside Out” versus Luke Skywalker wielding a blue lightsaber. (I have firsthand experience of this from having purchased the latter item recently for a certain family … [Read more...] about Feeling blue?

Consultant dermatologists see a lot of patients with acne and there are traditionally a few options available to us in the management of acne.   For mild acne, we prescribe topical anti-acne agents.; for moderate to severe papulopustular acne (red spots and pustules), we prescribe topical anti-acne … [Read more...] about A bird in the hand…

If you’re thinking of doing house renovations or simply repainting your home, it can be a logistic nightmare; figuring out whether you have the wherewithal to do it yourself or get the professionals in, then moving furniture and arranging for it all to be done when there are no children or animals … [Read more...] about You can’t paint over a problem

Though eczema can flare at any time of the year, winter is often a particularly bad time. Why? It’s often a combination of winter coughs and colds, and cold, crispy weather combined with central heating indoors.   Though not all flares in eczema are infective, they can often become … [Read more...] about The beauty of a bleach bath

At the time of writing, the family have returned from our annual summer holiday on the Continent. A lovely relaxing time was had by all. What was also a pleasant surprise was the lack of cigarette smokers and the lack of the often-found detritus of cigarette butts that litter the pavements of … [Read more...] about The rise of the “e-” generation

A couple of our family members are rather keen cyclists. At the time of writing, a school holiday is looming and a cycling holiday is to be expected. It was interesting that Radio 4 broadcast an interview with Dr Jane Sterling, a Consultant dermatologist at Addenbrooke’s hospital on vulval health in … [Read more...] about Get on your bike!

I’m lucky that we are a family that generally likes our greens though sometimes it can still be a challenging process and sometimes I’m faced with a full-on dinner table revolt!   There is now evidence that certain vegetables eaten in the diet can also provide protection against sun … [Read more...] about Have your kale and eat it.

I saw a patient recently who came to clinic with a possible disease entity that was quite prevalent in Europe and the UK from the summer of 2006 for a period of time. Believe it or not, it was called ‘sofa dermatitis.’ Fortunately (for his sofa, at least), he didn't have sofa … [Read more...] about Are you sitting comfortably?

Dermatologists not only see rashes all day long but we can also operate and perform skin surgery to remove skin lesions. Patients are also always asking if there are better ways to improve the scar after surgery. We generally recommend massaging white soft paraffin into the scar or using silicone … [Read more...] about Express yourself!

I’m not really a great fan of Twitter – I have an account, I scroll through it periodically on my phone when on the train but I never have anything really to say on it. Maybe that’s because I like talking and everything I have to say I cannot condense down to a 140 character … [Read more...] about A new cream for eczema?