Dermatology, Norton Childrens Medical Group

When do boys start puberty?

Most discussions around puberty tend to focus on girls, but boys are starting puberty earlier, too. A 2012 study of U.S. boys found white and Hispanic boys were entering puberty at an average age of 10, and African American boys at 9. That’s up to two years earlier than decades ago. (The study couldn’t determine…

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Cancer, Dermatology, Prevention & Wellness

Sunscreen ingredients like oxybenzone are less risky for kids than skin cancer

A recent study by the Journal of the American Medical Association, JAMA has prompted worries about sunscreen ingredients such as oxybenzone that can be absorbed into the bloodstream, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to stop protecting your family’s skin from ultraviolet rays. Indeed, the risks of skin cancer and other effects of overexposure to…

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Dermatology, Norton Childrens Medical Group

Is poison ivy contagious? How does it spread?

¿Es contagiosa la hiedra venenosa? ¿Cómo se propaga? Poison ivy isn’t contagious and the oil that causes the rash and blisters can be washed off the skin quickly while the reaction lasts for a few weeks. Pets can carry the oil from the plant’s sap in on their fur, but the oil typically doesn’t transfer…

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Dermatology, Norton Childrens Medical Group

What is impetigo? It’s an itchy, painful and very treatable rash

What’s red with oozing blisters and a honey-colored crust? Impetigo. Pronounced im-peh-tie-go, this common childhood skin infection often starts with a cut, scratch or bug bite. It sounds truly awful, but don’t despair. “The infection can be itchy and painful, but it is very treatable and can even disappear on its own,” said April R….

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