Dry, tight skin? A few simple swaps—like adding moisture to your air and ditching hot showers and harsh soaps—can make a noticeable difference. Lock it in by moisturizing right after you bathe to keep your skin soft and hydrated.
These small, firm skin bumps are usually benign and often appear on the legs. Learn why they form, how they’re removed, and sun‑safety basics to help prevent another one.
Warm, damp shoes can harbor fungus well after a skin infection clears. Fresh socks, antifungal powder, rotation, and retiring old shoes are all important.
An elevated lymphocyte count usually indicates a simple viral illness. Less often, it could indicate a blood cancer. How the number is calculated shapes what it may mean.
When I got a splinter last year, I didn't think too much of the situation at first. But a couple of weeks later, my elbow started to swell up. I went to the hospital and was told I had a Methicillin-resistant Staph aureus (MRSA) infection. After a month of taking Zyvox (linezolid), I was told I no longer had MRSA. Recently, I stepped on a bathroom rug that still had a staple in it and a red pimple started to appear. I went to a foot doctor who said it was the beginning of staph infection. Once you have had MRSA does it always stay in your body — or am I just having a bunch of bad luck?
Lactose trouble that appears in midlife—plus growing sensitivities to other foods—can hint at changes in the small intestine that warrant a doctor's look.
Why is Prilosec supposed to be taken for 14 days if it stops heartburn symptoms immediately?
Your immune system constantly defends you from harmful germs like bacteria and viruses, but your body also hosts trillions of helpful microbes—your microbiome—that live on your skin, in your gut, and elsewhere. These “good” germs help digest food, make vitamins, protect you from harmful invaders, and help regulate inflammation.