5 Reasons Why Skin Cancer Surgery Isn’t So Scary

Get the inside scoop on Mohs surgery, the most popular treatment option for basal and squamous cell carcinomas.

Wear a wide-brimmed hat to minimize your sun exposure.

Veva Vesper has dealt with more than her fair share of skin cancer in the last 25 years. The 69-year-old Ohio resident has had more than 500 squamous cell carcinomas removed since the late 1980s, when the immunosuppressant medication she was taking for a kidney transplant caused her to develop them all over her body — everywhere from the corner of her eye to her legs.

While Vesper’s story is unusual, skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States. In fact, it’s currently estimated that one in five Americans will get skin cancer in his or her lifetime.

Mike Davis, a 65-year-old retired cop, and like Vesper, a patient at The Skin Cancer Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, has a more familiar story. Earlier this year, he had a basal cell carcinoma removed from his left ear — the side of his face most exposed to UV damage when driving on patrol.


The buildup of sun exposure over your lifetime puts you at greater risk for developing basal and squamous cell skin carcinomas as you age. Both Vesper and Davis had Mohs surgery, the most effective and precise way to remove the two most common types of skin cancer.

“The benefits of Mohs surgery are twofold: One, you’re going to remove just the cells you need to without having to take a lot of unnecessary tissue, and two, Mohs surgery can tout cure rates of 99 percent,” says Dendy Engelman, MD, a dermatologist and Mohs surgeon in New York City and the

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Sex Secrets You Should Know

By Dennis Thompson Jr. | Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH

Men who want to enjoy a good sex life should know their partner can be the best source of sex secrets. From erection to orgasm, communication is key.

Good sex with your partner can get even better. There are many ways men can both enjoy sex more and better please their partners. Just keep in mind that while there are some solid guidelines for improving your sex life, the best kept sex secrets are the ones waiting to be unearthed in your relationship.

"I think each guy is different and each relationship is different," says Paul Joannides, PsyD, a research psychoanalyst in Waldport, Ore., and author of The Guide To Getting It On. "You need to appreciate that what might work for your best friend and his wife might not work for you and your partner."

Start Talking About Sex

Ironically, some of the best sex secrets are those men and women keep from each other, Dr. Joannides says. To have good sex, you need to talk about your likes and dislikes.

"One of the most important things to do is to ask and to listen," says Joannides. "A lot of guys are terrified that some people may think they don't know all the answers. Also, some guys think they do know all the answers."

It can be difficult to broach the subject of sex. But here are tips from Joannides that can clue you in to 

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80% of heart attacks in men can be prevented through healthy lifestyle behaviors

Due to the results of a recent study, researchers stress that people can save a lot of money and preserve their well-being by living a healthy lifestyle. The study examined various aspects of healthy living as well as the rates by which men experienced myocardial infarction (MI) or a heart attack.

An estimated 1.5 million cases of MI occur in the U.S. each year. This condition leaves the muscle tissue in the heart irreversibly damaged, according to Medscape.

The study's aim was to examine the benefit of a combined low-risk diet with healthy lifestyle practices on MI occurrences in men. To explore this goal, the researchers reviewed detailed questionnaires filled out by men regarding their diets and lifestyles.

Medical records were also examined, which included checking the men's history for cancer, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and high cholesterol levels. The participants included more than

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How Much Sleep Do You Need?

The number of hours of sleep you need to stay healthy and alert differs according to your age.

Teenagers need between 8 to 10 hours of sleep, while adults should get 7 to 9 hours.

Sure, you’re eating your vegetables and fruits and squeezing in exercise at least 20 minutes a day, but are you getting enough sleep, too? The latest sleep recommendations from the National Sleep Foundation may make you want to think twice about skimping on essential shut-eye. Sleep is key to your physical health and emotional vitality, but just how many hours of sleep you need depends on your age and stage of development.

“Sleep is important for mental function: alertness, memory consolidation, mood regulation, and physical health,” says Phyllis C. Zee, MD, PhD, professor of neurology and director of the Sleep Disorders Center at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.

Too few hours of sleep or poor sleep could pave the way to a myriad of emotional and physical problems, from diabetes to obesity, explains Dr. Zee. “In fact, data shows that with sleep loss, there are changes in the way the body handles glucose, which could lead to a state of insulin resistance (pre-diabetes),” says Dr. Zee. “There is also evidence that lack of sleep alters appetite regulation, which may lead to overeating or food choices that can also contribute to overweight and obesity.”

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Are you putting Monsanto in your vagina? 85% of tampons and feminine hygiene products contaminated with cancer-causing glyphosate herbicide

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, over 50 American women were killed by their tampons. Although the FDA and the feminine hygiene industry have gone to tremendous lengths to try to memory hole this true history (and label it just a "rumor"), tampons made from certain non-natural fibers were found to harbor deadly bacteria and release a sufficient quantity of chemicals to kill or injure over a thousand women.

As the Organic Consumers Association has published:

The worst offenders were Procter and Gamble’s ultra-absorbent Rely tampons. According to the book Soap Opera: The Inside Story of Procter and Gamble, the company dismissed consumer complaints about the tampons for years. A 1975 company memo disclosed that Rely tampons contained known cancer-causing agents and that the product altered the natural organisms found in the vagina. Rely tampons were taken off the shelves in 1980, but many women claim they left a legacy of hysterectomies and loss of fertility.

Among health-conscious women, the toxicity of mainstream tampons has long been an issue of concern. "Just as I say heck no to Cottonseed oil, it is for the same reason I say heck no to sticking

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What You Need to Know About Vaginal Dryness

By Laura Berman, PhD
A dry vagina is a common problem for women that affects their enjoyment of sex.

Although many women are embarrassed to discuss vaginal dryness, the truth is that it is something most of us will grapple with a dry vagina at some point in our lives. There are many causes for vaginal dryness, but perhaps the most common is menopause. In fact, research indicates that 40 to 60 percent of women suffer from vaginal dryness as a result of menopause.

Menopause causes a dip in estrogen which can sometimes lead to vaginal dryness. Estrogen plays a role in vaginal lubrication, and it also helps to balance the pH of the vagina; so when menopause strikes, women are more likely to suffer from vaginal dryness along with yeast infections (which result from the pH being off-balance). As if hot flashes weren’t bad enough!

Menopause isn’t the only culprit behind vaginal dryness. It’s also linked to hormonal birth control, douching, infection, and stress. Sadly, some women don’t ever discover the cause for their vaginal dryness because they are too embarrassed to broach the topic with their doctor. Yet a dry vagina can negatively interfere with a woman’s sexual enjoyment. It can make sex painful and lead to problems in a couple’s relationship. If the pain and dryness a woman experiences continues untreated for a long period of time, she may begin to cringe at the very idea of sex. This can lead her to resist sexual advances from her partner altogether, and even if the

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Ask Dr. Berman: Low Self-Esteem Can Plague Your Relationships

By Laura Berman, PhD
Does low self-worth negatively impact your relationships?

Q: I struggle with maintaining healthy self-esteem in my relationships. Sometimes I don’t feel like my partner really wants to be with me or that I am worth the effort a relationship takes. What are some ways I can improve my self-esteem and have better relationships in the future?

A: You are certainly right that healthy self-esteem is crucial in establishing and maintaining a long-term happy relationship. If you don’t feel worthy of a loving, passionate relationship, then you are probably going to settle for less when it comes to picking a mate who is deserving of you. Or, perhaps you will find a wonderful mate, but your own lack of self-esteem will lead to trust and insecurity issues within the relationship. Whatever the case, low self-worth can definitely throw a wrench into your love life — and into your bedroom. After all, how can you really let go and enjoy sexual pleasure if you feel ashamed or unhappy in your own skin?

The good news is that there are several ways you can improve your self-esteem.

First, it’s important to find the source of where your feelings are coming from so you can address the root of the problem. For example, does your low self-esteem stem from negative experiences in your childhood or from being cheated on or mistreated by partners in the past? Figuring out where your low self-esteem

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