Christine Pham

Recent evidence of high systemic absorption of sunscreen ingredients has raised concerns regarding the safety of sunscreen products. Oxybenzone (BP-3) and octinoxate (OMC), two common sunscreen ingredients, were recently banned in Key West and Hawaii owing to their toxic effects on marine ecosystems. Their impact on human health requires a careful assessment. To summarize the current evidence on the association between the systemic level of BP-3 or OMC and its health impact, a primary literature search was conducted using PubMed database in February 2019. There are 29 studies that address the impact of these ingredients on human health. Studies show that elevated systemic level of BP-3 has no adverse effect on male and female fertility, female reproductive hormone level, adiposity, fetal growth, child's neurodevelopment, and sexual maturation. However, the association of BP-3 level on thyroid hormone, testosterone level, kidney function, and pubertal timing has been reported and prompts further investigations to validate a true association. The systemic absorption of OMC has no reported effect on thyroid and reproductive hormone levels. In conclusion, current evidence is not sufficient to support the causal relationship between the elevated systemic level of BP-3 or OMC and adverse health outcomes. There are either contradictory findings among different studies or an insufficient number of studies to corroborate the observed association. To accurately evaluate the long-term risk of exposure to BP-3 and OMC from sunscreen, a well-designed longitudinal randomized controlled trial needs to be conducted.

Many institutions have created and deployed outreach programs for middle school students with the goal of increasing the number and diversity of students who later pursue careers in computer science. While these programs have been shown to increase interest in computer science, there has been less work on showing whether participants learn computer science content.

IMPORTANCE: Hair loss, or alopecia, is one of the most commonly presented problems in dermatology. Scarring alopecias are considered particularly damaging due to limited success in slowing permanent disease progression, and current treatment methods, such as intralesional and topical steroids and topical minoxidil, are largely ineffective. OBJECTIVE: Hair transplantation is a debated treatment option for advanced cases of primary scarring alopecia. This study reviews the efficacy of hair transplantation as a treatment option for primary scarring alopecia. EVIDENCE REVIEW: A primary literature search was conducted using PubMed to identify articles in scarring alopecia and hair transplants published from 1960 to the present time. FINDINGS: Fifteen reports with 34 patients were included in this review. Twenty six patients experienced moderate to positive results, while 8 patients experienced negative results or recurrence of disease. Positive hair transplantation results have been reported in patients with central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia, en coup de sabre, discoid lupus erythematous, pseudopelade de brocq, and folliculitis decalvans. Positive and -negative results were observed in patients with lichen planopilaris and frontal fibrosing alopecia. CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: Findings show that hair transplant surgery can be considered as a treatment option for certain primary scarring alopecias. However, data must be interpreted with caution due to concern for positive-result publication bias.

BACKGROUND: Diet is known to affect a wide range of health disorders. Many patients with hair and scalp diseases often inquire about special diets that may improve their symptoms. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate nutrition and diet as adjunct treatments in nonscarring and scarring alopecia. METHODS: A primary literature search using PRISMA guidelines was conducted using the PubMed database in October 2019. RESULTS: Twenty-four articles with 1,787 patients were included. The Mediterranean diet, which is rich in raw vegetables and fresh herbs, and isoflavone-rich soy contain anti-inflammatory nutrients that may promote hair health and growth in androgenetic alopecia (AGA). The gluten-free diet was shown to stimulate hair growth in alopecia areata (AA) patients with concomitant celiac disease, though no effect was seen with a lactose-free diet. Sufficient protein was found to be necessary for hair health. The human chorionic gonadotropin diet, hypocaloric diet, and increased fish, buckwheat, and millet groats consumption were possible triggers of alopecias such as AGA, AA, telogen effluvium, or frontal fibrosing alopecia. LIMITATIONS: This review was limited by the lack of studies and controls. CONCLUSION: The Mediterranean diet as well as diets rich in protein and soy may be potential adjunct therapeutics for the treatment of nonscarring alopecias. The use of diets in alopecia treatment regimens warrants further exploration.