Friday, February 27, 2009

Penile Enlargement Fiction

When it comes to sex, men have two strong delusional beliefs. One is that they have a small penis and the second is that some pill can make the penis bigger. And for those men who fail to get their penis enlarged by these pills or lotions, nirvana can be attained via surgery. Over the years, several surgical procedures have been devised to enlarge the penis.

Date from hospitals indicate that at least a quarter of a million men have some type of penile enlargement procedure each year. The surgery for penile enlargement is based on two principles- the first is to increase the penile length by making an incision at the base of the penis and excising the ligament that normally holds the penis to the pubic bone. This simple procedure allows for elongation of the penis by 2-4 cms.

Once the penis is enlarged, the second part of the surgery involved widening of the penis girth. This is very similar to a dermal filler used for a face lift. Some type of filler is injected in between the muscle of the penis and the girth can be increased by 20-30%.

While there are anecdotal reports of the success of such procedures, the procedures are also associated with a fair number of complications.

Whether surgery, herbs, lotions, rubber bands or drinking a bear’s urine can enlarge the penis is not really known. In any case, for any men who has a perception that his penis is small, rather than seeking an unproven therapy the first step should be to seek psychological counseling. This therapy may not lengthen your penis, but it will hopefully provide you with a better perception of life.

Penile Enlargement Fact

When men are not thinking about money, they are thinking of sex. If a man were to be asked what he would most like to improve about his personal life, it has to be his penis. And this is not accidental.

Everyday, there are hundreds of come-on ads offering a larger penis, Such ads are commonly found on billboards, cyberspace, newspapers and magazines. Everything under the sun has at one time been claimed to increase size of the penis.

Drugs, herbs, lotions, potions, spices, pills, solutions and surgery are increasingly advertised to increase the penile size. The sellers of such services make it sound that having a big penis is the magic pill and a panacea to all of man’s troubles. The question asked since mankind evolved, “is there a satisfactory way to enlarge the penis?” And the answer to this question is debatable.

Most men are gullible and easily fall prey to claims made by charlatans. It was the same thing with hair loss. Does anyone really believe that female breasts can be augmented with by eating a pill or applying a cream or lotion?

Monday, February 23, 2009

Varicoceles and Fertility 101

What is a varicocele?

A varicocele is a collection of enlarged (dilated) veins (blood vessels) in the scrotum. These dilated veins which drain the testicle are often referred to as a bag of worms. Varicoceles usually occur just above the testicles, generally more common on the left side, but can occur on both sides.

Why do Varicoceles develop?

A varicocele develops because of defective valves that are present in the small veins that drain the blood away from the testes. The defective/damaged valves allow for blood to flow back into the testes and lead to engorgement of the veins. Normally the function of these valves is to prevent the blood from flowing backwards. Over time, blood engorgement is progressive and leads to formation of a varicocele. Defective valves are the most common cause of Varicoceles in most young males. Why defective valves occur in anyone’s guess. They do not occur because of excess sex and bear no relation to sexually transmitted disease.

Sometimes, a varicocele may develop if there is a blockage of larger veins in the kidney and this may cause blockage of smaller veins in the testis. This is more common in older men and the cause is usually a cancer.

FOR MORE ON VARICOCELES Visit www.sbmedexmed.blogspot.com

Friday, February 20, 2009

Excess Sweating: A cosmetic nuisance Part 6

Aluminum chloride - a strong antiperspirant

If the topical general methods do not help control sweat and if the normal antiperspirants fail, one should try and get a prescription of an antiperspirant that contains aluminum chloride. Aluminum chloride is a ‘strong’ antiperspirant and is thought to act by blocking the sweat gland ducts. It tends to work best in the armpits. However, it may also work for sweating of the palms and soles. It is not recommended for use on the face because if the eye gets exposed, it can cause a very painful irritation.

Several brands
of aluminum chloride anti perspirants are available (Driclor, Anhydrol Forte, ZeaSorb, Odaban). Some come in a bottle as roll on applicator, others are in a powder form and others come in a spray. These anti perspirants work best when applied to clean dry skin and should be applied at night (when the sweat glands are less active).

For these anti perspirants to work well, one should:

-apply the agent at bed time (sweat glands are less active at night)
-wash off the agent in the morning
-Avoid shaving the area for at least 24 hrs
-Avoid getting it in the eyes
-do not apply on broken or inflamed skin or redden skin

The agent should be applied every 24-48 hours until the sweat starts to decrease. Once the sweat decrease, the agent can be applied every 1-2 weeks. The response usually takes at least 1-3 weeks to become obvious. Once sweating is under control, the agent should only be applied once every 2-3 weeks.

The problem with aluminum chloride antiperspirants is the severe skin irritation or inflammation. If this occurs and is tolerable, one may continue as it will decrease the sweating. To decrease the side effects of the anti perspirant, one needs to combine it with a topical corticosteroid.

Excess Sweating: A cosmetic nuisance Part 5

Topical medications to treat sweating

Once upon a time topical agents were used to treat sweating disorders. Over the years numerous chemicals have become available and include topical anti cholinergics, boric acid, 2-5% tannic acid solutions, resorcinol, potassium permanganate, formaldehyde (which may cause sensitization, glutaraldehyde, methenamine.

All the above chemicals are applied on to the dry skin at night. It is recommended that the skin be covered with a dry dressing. The results of these drugs are very variable. However, the major reason why all these drugs have fallen out of favor is the skin irritation they cause. In addition, the staining of the clothes is irreversible.

Long term usage can cause cracking of the skin but without actually decreasing sweating. Maxim is another product on the market with a somewhat higher pH level, causing less irritation. Maxim can be purchased online.

All drawbacks taken under consideration, lotions are the first step in attempting alternative methods to surgery. Today, the use of these chemical has been relegated to the history books.

Excess Sweating: A cosmetic nuisance Part 4

General care

For mild sweating which is localized the following may help:

-use soaps which are bland and contain an emollient
-avoid spicy foods
-avoid heat
-Use anti perspirants regularly for the axilla (Antiperspirants reduce the release of sweat, deodorants mask any unpleasant smell)
-Avoid clothes that more easily show up sweat marks.
-Wear loose clothing under the armpits, and preferably not made with man-made fibers such as lycra and nylon
-Change socks at least twice daily
-Use an absorbent foot powder twice daily
-Wear a different pair of shoes on alternate days, to allow them to dry fully.
-Avoid running/sport shoes or boots, as these are likely to have an occlusive effect.

Deodorants and Anti perspirants


In people with significant axillary sweating or odor problems, deodorants and antiperspirants often fail to control the sweat or odor. Anti cholinergic medications, such as Robinol, offer temporary relief and may cause total body dryness and drowsiness. Drysol also dries the skin and requires lengthy treatment, causing a temporary result.

Oral medication such as Robinol offer temporary relief however it may create body dryness.

Excess Sweating: A cosmetic nuisance Part 3

Diagnosis

There are no tests to make a diagnosis of localized sweating. The diagnosis is made by examining the patient, the major complaint by all individual is that anti perspirants just failed to work.

Generalized excessive sweating (generalized hyperhidrosis)

In generalized sweating, the individual continues to perspire all over the body. This condition is less common than the localized version but it is related to other medical conditions. Anxiety, infections fever, hyperthyroidism, infection of the heart valves, drugs and some cancers can all cause this disorder. In this condition, blood work is required and the physician makes an attempt to find the underlying disorder which is responsible causing the sweating. The treatment depends on the cause of the disorder.

What are the possible complications of focal excess sweating?

Although sweating is not life threatening, it is distressing and causes a lot of social embarrassing. The majority of the individuals with palmar sweating find that anything they hold in their hands gets soaked and they are afraid to shake hands because of the excessive wetness. The condition can be severe enough to lead to social isolation and avoidance of contact with people. The constant wetness can occasionally cause maceration and redness of the skin. Others may develop severe itching around the area.

What are the treatment options for focal excessive sweating?

Therapy can be challenging for both the patient and the physician. Both topical and systemic medications have been used. Other treatment options include Iontophoresis and Botulinum toxin injections.

Excess Sweating: A cosmetic nuisance Part 2

In focal (localized) sweating, the excessive sweating occurs either in the palms, soles, armpit (axilla) or face. It may occur on one or both sides of the body. The rest of the body acts normally and does not perspire. The most classic example of localized sweating is the axilla (armpit).

Axillary Hyperhidrosis (Armpit Sweating) is associated with excessive dripping sweating in the armpits. If the clothes are not frequently changes, an odor is always present. The amount of sweating is extremely difficult to control and does not respond to any deodorants and anti perspirants.

While the presence of axillary sweat and bromhidrosis (odor) is normal in most individuals after the age of puberty, some individuals experience excessive sweating that pours down the arms and soaks the clothes, creating a socially embarrassing situation. Because of the constant wetness and staining from the sweat, these poor individuals are not able to wear clothes of certain fabrics or colors.

The condition when severe can lead to social isolation and depression. It is always worsened in the presence of anxiety and stress.

Why localized sweating occurs in one part of the body is not known and is not associated with any other disorders. It appears that the sweat glands in these areas become hypersensitive or overactive than normal. Frequently, this condition may run in families but no genetic linkage factor has been identified. The condition can develop at any age but most individuals complain about the sweating in their late teens. Both men and women appear to be equally affected.

The condition does vary in severity with time. It is silent for some time and then starts up again. The sweating is usually worsened by stress, emotional lability spicy foods and heat. The sweating is always made worse by anxiety. In most cases the triggers of sweating remain unknown. The majority of individuals who develop this disorder are under the age of 25. The condition appears to occur in 3 out 100 people. It is a long term condition, however, a significant number of individuals to improve with time.

Excess Sweating: A cosmetic nuisance Part 1

Everyone sweats to a certain extent. It is the body’s normal way to get rid of excess heat and control the temperature. Sweating is a common feature in most individuals who exercise, jog, run or do any excessive physical activity.

However, there are some individuals who sweat despite undertaking no physical activity. There is constant perspiration most commonly in the axilla (armpit) or on the arms and hands. This condition is called excessive sweating or hyperhidrosis. The hyperhidrosis occurs in the absence of heat, stress or fever.

Localized
or Focal hyperhidrosis can cause appreciable social problems in both private and professional life. Profuse sweating can result in skin maceration and secondary microbial infections Further if one has sweaty palms all the time, it is difficult to hold any paper or even shake hands with anyone.

Excessive sweating is classified as either localized or systemic. This is very important to know as the treatments are very different. Current treatments for axillary (armpit) hyperhidrosis are often ineffective, short acting, or not well tolerated.