DrSugar is in the house! This week she's explaining the condition known as hyperhidrosis, aka excessive sweating.

Even though Summer is winding down, it's still quite warm in many parts of the US, which inspired an explanation on excessive sweating, known as hyperhidrosis in medical terms. Hyperhidrosis can be a difficult condition to have and for some can be quite embarrassing or cause social anxiety.

The Mayo Clinic defines hyperhidrosis as frequent or constant excessive sweating. Sweating is the body's mechanism for cooling itself down, which is a normal response to an increase in body temperature. However, people with hyperhidrosis sweat in quantities above the amount needed to regulate and cool the body's temperature. According to Medicine Net, an estimated two to three percent of Americans suffer from hyperhidrosis, which typically affects the underarms, the palms of the hands, and the soles of the feet. Underarm hyperhidrosis typically starts in puberty, whereas the hands and feet hyperhidrosis can begin even earlier in life. While some people with excessive sweating can have neurologic, metabolic, or other systemic medical conditions, most people with hyperhidrosis are typically otherwise healthy. To learn more about hyperhidrosis, keep reading!

DrSugar is in the house! This week she's explaining how mammograms work and why they're important.

This week on DrSugar, I'm going to discuss the hows, whys, and whens of mammograms. Inspired to research the topic given my positive family history of breast cancer in my grandmother, I wanted to share the information I found with FitSugar readers to help clear up any confusion you may all have on the matter.

The National Cancer Institute defines a mammogram as an X-ray picture of the breast. The actual procedure involves the breasts being compressed between two firm surfaces to spread out the breast tissue and then X-ray images are taken. There are two types of mammograms, screening and diagnostic. A screening mammogram is used to check for breast cancer in women with no signs or symptoms of the disease. Screening mammograms typically involve two X-ray pictures of each breast and can make it possible to detect tumors that cannot be felt. Diagnostic mammograms are obtained to check for breast cancer after a lump or other sign or symptom of disease has been found. These differ from the screening mammograms in that they take longer to perform because more X-rays are taken to obtain images of the breast from multiple different angles.

More information on mammograms after the break.

DrSugar is in the house! This week she's discussing mommyrexia and the implications of eating disorders during and after pregnancy.

I recently read an article from the New York Post on "mommyrexia," a phenomenon garnering a lot of public attention recently. Mommyrexia describes pregnant women obsessed with staying skinny during pregnancy and then doing whatever they can to get back, as quickly as possible, to their prepregnancy weight/size after delivery. According to the article, these women count calories, exercise excessively while pregnant, and sometimes even forgo breastfeeding after delivery to free their schedules for tons of personal training and exercise. Society today is so obsessed with celebrities and body image, and in my opinion, is placing unwarranted pressure on women to maintain their slim physique during pregnancy, like Victoria Beckham and Rachel Zoe, and to be bikini-ready three weeks after delivery like Bethenny Frankel. As if there isn’t already enough pressure on the general population to be ridiculously skinny, this pressure now extends to the sacred time of pregnancy?

I feel compelled to write about eating disorders and their potential implications in pregnant women. However, I must add that there is a large spectrum of what can be considered normal regarding weight gain and activity during pregnancy. Every woman is different and will gain differing amounts of weight. Both activity and weight gain in pregnant women depend on multiple factors and should be determined on a case-by-case basis between a woman and her OB-GYN. By no means am I here to judge anyone on how they behave during their pregnancy. The purpose of this week's DrSugar column is to provide information on how eating disorders can affect pregnancy. To learn more, keep reading.

DrSugar is in the house! This week she explains how best to minimize scars.

DrSugar,
About a month ago, I caught my leg on the corner of a metal daybed, and now have a nasty 3-inch scar below my knee. I have several weddings in the next few months where I wanted to wear a short dress, and was wondering if there is any natural or commercial product that would help the scar fade quickly.
— Scared of Scarring

I'm so sorry that you had an injury that has left you with a scar and that you asked this question. Scars are a natural part of the healing process after skin injury. However, various factors can influence how your skin scars. First and foremost, the depth and size of the wound and its location can affect how the scar looks. But, even your age, sex, ethnicity, and genetics can influence how your skin will react and ultimately what the scar will look like. Also, I must point out that scars will never completely go away, but there can be some treatments to minimize their appearance and size, if those are of concern to you. To learn more about scars and different treatments for scars, keep reading!

DrSugar is in the house! This week she's tackling a reader suffering from an allergic reaction to exercise.

Dear Dr. Sugar,
I work out regularly, but I have had a sort of reaction during my last two intense cardio workouts. My face turns bright red; I wheeze slightly, cough, and my eyes and nose itch. I have to stop and rest, but the symptoms go away after about 30 minutes. The symptoms seem to be similar to a food allergy, however I work out first thing in the morning and only have coffee before starting. What could be the cause of this reaction and how can I avoid it?
— Not Seeking a Workout Excuse, I Swear

Thank you for asking such an interesting question! Your symptoms that are brought on by exercise are actually quite concerning (especially the respiratory symptoms — cough and wheezing). I am glad that you stop and rest when these symptoms appear, as they could be a sign of possible allergic reaction to exercise. Yes, that's right, although rare, some people have an allergic response to exercise or physical exertion and their symptoms can range from a hives-like rash to a life-threatening anaphylactic reaction.

Allergic symptoms from physical exertion are called "exercise-induced anaphylaxis," according to Medscape. The most common symptoms present with this condition are itching, hives, angioedema (swelling of the eyes, lips, throat, hands, or feet), flushing, shortness of breath, difficulty swallowing, chest tightness, passing out (syncope), profuse sweating, headache, gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain), and choking, throat constriction, or hoarseness of the voice. Symptoms may occur at any stage of exercise, and stopping the exercise typically resolves the symptoms. However, Medscape does note that some people continue to have serious symptoms even after they stop exercising.

Learn more about an exercise-induced allergic reaction after the break!

DrSugar is in the house! This week she's offering advice on when you've missed a dose, or two, or three, of birth control pills.

We receive countless questions from women who have inadvertently skipped a birth control pill, so I will be giving a general overview on what to do when you realize you have missed a dose. While this week's column will have general information on oral contraceptives and how to manage missing doses, I stress that it is best to talk with your health care provider who prescribed the pills about what to do. Different brands of pills have varying hormonal formulations and thus different potential effects when pills are missed. In some cases, you may be able to simply resume taking pills at your regular time the day after missing a pill and move on with life. In other cases, skipping even one pill (or extending the placebo week) could result in a serious threat to effective pregnancy prevention; it really depends on the type of pill you take. An additional factor to be aware of is that some brands of pills are multiphasic, meaning that pills in a single pack of birth control have differing levels of hormones. Depending on which pill you missed (or which "phase" pill it was), your health care provider may have different recommendations about how to proceed. This column will provide information from Planned Parenthood on the most common type of birth control pills, the combination pill.

Keep on reading to learn what to do if you miss a pill.

DrSugar is in the house! This week she's answering a reader's question about cysts.

Dear DrSugar,
Recently I've been getting reoccurring, painful bumps in my armpits. I talked to my doctor about them, and she said they were most likely cysts, and as long as they go away, then I'm fine. I'm not concerned they're cancer or anything bad, but I'm just wondering if deodorants or antiperspirants can cause cysts? I also occasionally use "Certain Dri" antiperspirant for my excessive sweating, but I've recently stopped because I don't sweat as much anymore now that I've lost some weight. Could these deodorants/antiperspirants be the culprits?
Pitted Against Cysts

Learn DrSugar's answer when you read more.

DrSugar is in the house! This week she's schooling us on hypertension.

A recent study from the University of North Carolina found that about one in five young adults, between the ages 24 and 32, has high blood pressure, referred to as hypertension in medical terminology. The concerning part about this rise is that many of those at risk are unaware of this health issue, making this statistic extremely scary since hypertension is a medical condition that can have serious consequences. To learn more about hypertension and its medical consequences and how you can prevent hypertension, keep reading!

DrSugar is in the house! This week she's discussing possible causes for night sweats.

Dear DrSugar,
I have been having night sweats and waking up soaking wet about two nights a week. I am only 32, so it better not be menopause! This all started about two months, and interestingly enough I started training for a marathon four months ago. I have been steadily increasing my weekly mileage and have lost some weight and gained some muscle. My period has been a bit lighter too. I still get it, but it is shorter by two days or so. Any idea of what is going on?
— Sweaty Sleeper

First of all, congratulations on training for your first marathon; what an accomplishment that will be! To answer your question, there could be a lot of things going on, and I don’t think I can single in on even a couple of diagnoses, as there are so many things that can cause lighter periods/irregular periods as well as night sweats. Since you mentioned menopause specifically, I will discuss premature menopause today, as well as the common causes of irregular periods and night sweats. I suggest you be seen by your primary care provider for further workup, as there are many diagnoses that would need to be entertained for your constellation of symptoms. To learn more, keep reading.

DrSugar is in the house! This week she's debunking a couple of cancer myths centered in the kitchen.

Based on a few questions we have received, I will be discussing two popular myths about cancer risks in the kitchen, the first regarding cooking with nonstick pans and, the second, microwaving plastic containers. I must admit, doing the research for this week’s column was a real eye-opener for me and hopefully the findings will be informative for you! To learn more about these cancer "myths," keep reading!

DrSugar is in the house! This week she gives us the skinny on OTC pain medications.

Dear DrSugar,
Do the different types of over-the-counter pain relievers work better for different problems? What should I take for a headache — is aspirin better than ibuprofen? What should I take if I have a fever or the flu? Is there one that's best for dealing with swelling for twists and sprains? What about a pulled muscle? I look in my medicine cabinet and don't know what to take for what ails me. Thanks!
— Pained and Confused

This is a great question since there are so many options for over-the-counter pain relief available, making it quite difficult to keep straight which one is good for different problems! To learn more about the different OTC pain medications and which one to use for different medical problems, keep reading!

DrSugar is in the house! This week she's schooling us on skin cancer.

Given that summertime is right around the corner and with warmer weather blessing a good part of the country, I figured it was a good time to share some knowledge about how to recognize skin cancers and how to prevent them.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer and is now the most common cancer among people 25-29 years old. Anyone can get melanoma and it can develop anywhere on one's body. Most often, however, according to the Mayo Clinic, it develops in areas that have had exposure to the sun, such as your back, legs, arms, and face. It can grow on areas where there is less exposure to the sun, such as the soles of the feet, palms of the hands, eyes, and fingernail beds.

Learn the signs of melanoma.

DrSugar is in the house! This week she tackles the topic of different sized breasts.

This week on DrSugar, we round out our series on women's health issues with a discussion on breast size asymmetry — this is a surprisingly common concern among female adolescents and even adult women! Breast size asymmetry is when a woman's breasts are different in size and is defined as a difference of form, position, or volume of the breast, and it affects more than half of all women. Typically, the asymmetry is more noticeable during puberty and eventually breast size evens out during development. However, according to the Massachusetts General Hospital website, up to 25 percent of women have a persistent visible breast asymmetry. To learn more, keep on reading.

DrSugar is in the house! This week she explains the pros and cons of using IUDs for birth control.

To continue our ongoing series of gynecological topics, I have decided to write about intrauterine devices (IUDs) as a form of birth control. Even though I learned about IUDs through many outlets (sex ed in school, medical school), I decided to research them more thoroughly since the birth control pills I started taking after having my baby negatively affected my milk supply. I had to find an alternate mode of contraception so I could continue to have an abundant milk supply for my little one. I had a Paragard (copper) IUD inserted a couple of weeks ago and I'll share my experience as well as more information about two types of IUDs in today's column! Keep reading for more info.

DrSugar is in the house! This week she's schooling us in preventing dreaded UTIs.

This week we will continue our ongoing discussion of all things gynecologic and discuss the ever awful urinary tract infection (UTI). As someone who has gotten urinary tract infections in the past, I can truly say they are one of the most unpleasant infections I’ve ever had, and given how common they are, I figured it would be a good topic to write about this week. To learn more about urinary tract infections and how to prevent them, keep reading!

DrSugar is in the house! This week she's answering a question about preventing the spread of HPV.

Dear DrSugar,
I am sooooo scared about this. Just had a cervical biopsy and I just tested positive for HPV. I am in a severe panic. I probably gave it to my current boyfriend. Can we keep passing it back and forth to each other? I do not know what to do. So if I have HPV, will definitely get warts or not? Gosh I am paranoid; help me.
Worry Wart

First of all, I'm so glad you asked this question, since human papillomavirus (HPV) is so common. This question is the perfect springboard to discuss HPV and answer your questions specifically. To learn more about HPV, keep reading!

DrSugar is in the house! This week she's discussing emergency contraception and the morning-after pill.

Here at FitSugar we receive a large volume of questions pertaining to pregnancy and contraception. This week, we're beginning an ongoing series on topics pertaining to women's health and gynecological issues starting with the morning-after pill — including how it works and why and when it can be used. To learn if you're a candidate for this form of contraception, keep on reading.

DrSugar is in the house! This week she's reminding us that smoking, even in moderation, is a habit worth breaking.

Dear DrSugar,
I don't consider myself a smoker, but do smoke socially. I have three or four cigarettes almost every weekend — I tend to smoke when I have a few drinks. I don't think this is dangerous, but am wondering just how bad this is for my health?
One Social Smoker

Thank you for asking this question, as I'm certain that there are many people out there who can relate to you in terms of your smoking patterns. Even though you don't consider yourself a "smoker," you actually are, and can be labeled as a "social smoker." According to the University of Montana website, social smoking is a pattern of tobacco use that is based on the context of its use — smoking in social settings like bars, nightclubs, and sporting or music events. The social situations act as a trigger or cue to the person to smoke. Now that we've defined social smoking, keep reading to learn the health risks of the occasional smoke.

DrSugar is in the house! This week she's answering questions about cardiovascular health for women.

Dear DrSugar,
I hear stats about heart health all the time, but don't know what I should be doing to stay on the right track. What should women in their 20s and 30s do to protect their hearts? Thanks!
— Hoping to stay heart-healthy

Heart disease has historically been viewed as a man's disease, and thus, prevention and awareness of heart disease in women was not always at the forefront. However, heart disease prevention in women is extremely important since cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in women (and men) in the United States. Let's review the precautionary advice.

DrSugar is in the house! This week she's answering questions about the often dreaded annual gynecological exam.

Dear DrSugar,
I am confused about how frequently I am supposed to have a pap smear. I am 28 and mine have always been normal, and I am now married and monogamous. Should I have a pap every year or every other year? Do the recommendations change with age? If I don't need a pap smear should I still see a gynecologist for an annual exam? Thanks!
— Annually Confused

First of all, thank you for asking such a great question! I am inspired by your proactive approach to preventative care, of which pap smears and annual exams are very important — especially for young women! So let's review the guidelines for these preventative measures.