August 2015

Does Estrogen Help Age Skin Better?

Our skin is not only our largest organ but also our protective shield and our most visible self. When Nora Ephron wrote I Feel Bad About My Neck And Other Thoughts About Being A Woman (2008), she was highlighting with humor, but compassion, the challenges women face as they age. And skin becomes a very visible part of that conversation. Why does our skin thin, and what causes wrinkles?

Panic Attack Or Generalized Anxiety Disorder?

Your day has been unremarkable when suddenly you experience an overwhelming sense of dread. Your heart rate begins to increase, you break into a sweat, you cannot catch your breath, your chest tightens, and you feel dizzy. You wonder, “Is this a heart attack? Is this simply anxiety? Or, have I just experienced a panic attack?”

Do Women Need Their Own "Viagra"?

On June 5, 2015, U.S. news headlines proclaimed “FDA Panel Endorses Female Viagra.” This was inaccurate, because after two denials, it was only the advisory committee to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) who voted favorably to recommend that the FDA approve the drug Flibanserin® in August. The FDA wants more information on side effects of the drug, including dizziness, nausea, fatigue, insomnia, and the effects of alcohol. Flibanserin® is touted as a treatment for Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD) for premenopausal women, which is defined as the persistent lack of sexual fantasies and desire that is distressful to the individual.  An estimated 10% of women experience this distress, which is why these headlines caught most people’s attention.