care

It's that time of year when cold winter winds and weather team up with indoor heating to take a toll on your skin and hair. But they can be equally drying to your nails, making them brittle and prone to breaking, splitting and peeling. Lower temperatures and less exercise reduce circulation. You can also expect your nails to grow more slowly. That means your nails will demand extra Read more...

Here's the bad news: The skin on your lips is very thin and does not have oil glands to provide protection. But here's the good news: Just as your lips can absorb harmful substances, their thin skin can easily absorb beneficial nutrients, too. Because your lips cannot produce oil, you need to moisturize them so they don't crack, chap or peel. Sun and cold, as well as lipsticks with synthetic Read more...

Your doctor probably knows it. Medical organizations certainly do. But most patients have no idea. The annual physical examination -- that encounter when a physician looks in your throat, listens to your heart, pokes your abdomen, checks your reflexes and tests your blood -- is no longer a generally recommended medical practice. That's because there is scant scientific evidence showing that Read more...

When Roger Wertanen sought relief from back pain by way of a medical device from Fridley, Minn.-based Medtronic, the southeast Minnesota resident flew to India to get it. That's because the device is an artificial disk that isn't approved for use in the U.S., but it is available in India, Germany and some other countries. Wertanen, 67, said he has no regrets about the trip he took in Read more...

Do you want to read an online "report card" for your local hospital? Would you consider shopping around for "the best" hospital in town? If so, then read on. It is increasingly common for consumers to access the Internet for healthcare information and advice, and physicians are being bombarded with questions raised by Web searches. In particular, some consumers go online to compare "Hospital A" Read more...

Step up your looks with these 30 simple tips that make a big difference -- and get noticed: Clever cover-up. If you get stranded without your concealer, check the cap of your foundation -- the makeup that has collected there will be thick and perfect for covering up flaws. DIY dye. If you've dyed your hair at home and the result is too tame, take a second box and dilute it in equal parts Read more...

We go to great lengths to thwart the signs of aging on our faces, but the hands are one of the biggest age revealers on the body. Think of what your hands go through on a daily basis. For starters, aside from the face, the hands are most frequently exposed to the sun and harsh weather. The hands also spend a lot of time in water. In addition, the skin on the backs of the hands is among the Read more...