Summer in the Ozarks is hot, and the sunscreen aisle is overwhelming. Here is how to choose one and use it properly. Which SPF? SPF 30 or higher, broad-spectrum, water-resistant. That covers most people. If you burn easily, have very fair skin, or have a personal or family history of skin cancer, SPF 50 is a reasonable step up. Above … Read More
Poison Ivy: What Actually Works (and What Doesn’t)
Around 85% of people are allergic to poison ivy, oak and sumac. Only about 10 to 15% seem genuinely unable to react. Here are the facts and the fictions, because there is a lot of confident misinformation about this plant. FICTION: “I’ve never gotten it, so I’m immune.” This is the one that catches people out. The reaction is an … Read More
Lyme Disease in Missouri: How Common Is It Really?
The lone star tick — the female’s single white dot makes her easy to identify. This is the tick behind most of Missouri’s tick-borne illness. Summer in the Ozarks brings lake days, hiking, yard work — and ticks. Every year patients come in worried after finding one attached, and the first question is almost always the same: “Can I get … Read More
Skin Cancer: How to Protect Your Skin and What to Watch For
Summer in the Ozarks means lake days, gardening, and a lot more time in the sun. It is also a good moment to talk about the most common cancer in the country — and one of the most preventable. About 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer by age 70. The good news is that when it is caught … Read More