Lice

Dear Dr. Jen,

I am a 39 year old housewife.  Sometimes while doing chores, I would feel a little insect creeping on my head. I would ask my nephews to look and find out what it is, using a flashlight, but they see nothing.  Could this be a scalp-related condition or lice?  Thanks.

Jem

Dear Jem,

Head lice can have the same manifestation.  However, it is very difficult for the naked eye to see live louse walking about on the head.  A clue could be the presence of white nits or eggs that may be stuck on the hair shaft.

You can get head lice by sharing towels, combs, brushes and hats with someone who has it.  It can also be transferred by coming in close contact by a person who has it and by touching beddings of an infected person.

Treatment is fairly simple. There are permethrin creams and shampoos available over the counter.  However, please have it checked to make sure that it is a lice infestation. Your doctor will teach you how to prevent re-infection and how to dis-infect all furniture that are possibly infected.

Dear Dr. Jen,

I have dark spots on my cheeks.  I am only 27 year old and the spots really make me look much older than my real age. What is the simplest way to treat it?

Romeo

Dear Romeo,

Sun spots, or melasma, are caused by cumulative sun exposure.  There are products that burn the skin, thereby causing even more darkening.  The first thing to do is to throw away all the harsh products that you own.  Harsh products can be defined by substances that have too strong fragrances, makes you scrub the face more than twice a month, cause stinging, redness or peeling.

Next, you can pop a visit to your favorite PDS derma.  She or he can examine your skin and prescribe the proper products tailor-made for your skin needs.  If the darkened spots are superficial, meaning the melanin is just on the epidermis, chances are you will respond to a few superficial gentle peels and take home creams.  However, if the darkening is contained deep in the dermis, laser or medium-strength peels might have to be employed.

Not all people respond to the same treatment.  Most of all, start using a sunscreen on your face every single day of your life.  This can ensure that you will certainly avoid having those dark spots recur.

Dr. Tan is a diplomate of Philippine Dermatological Society (PDS) and is affiliated with Perpetual Succour Hospital (PSH). For information on PDS, check http://www.pds.org.ph/. For questions or concerns, please text to: 0932 857 7070; or email to: [email protected]; or call The Freeman: (032) 2531276, or PSH: (032) 233 8620 and 232 5929. Your inquiries will be forwarded to Dr. Tan.