Charlotte Latvala

Cosmetic facial treatments have never been more popular. Dermal fillers and BOTOX® can add plumpness to your face and help smooth wrinkles. These procedures can give you a fresher, younger-looking complexion with almost no downtime.
But how long should BOTOX last? Does lip filler go away? And are there any permanent effects from getting these treatments for years?
Here’s what you need to know about how long cosmetic treatments last and how they affect you.
What Is BOTOX?
BOTOX, like Dysport®,...

Usually, a headache is just a minor nuisance. But some headaches are more serious.
You should make sure you’re familiar with the red flags for headaches that require medical attention. These symptoms can indicate brain injury or disease.
Here’s how to recognize different types of headaches and when to see a doctor for a headache.
What Is a Headache?
Simply put, a headache is any pain in your head. Most headaches are mild and go away with over-the-counter (OTC) pain relief and rest.
But sudden...

Elaine Haller’s “most horrible year” began on Memorial Day weekend in 2023.
“We took flowers to the cemetery, then stopped to get something to eat on the way home,” the 78-year-old Shippensburg woman remembers.
But what started as a lovely family outing became a nightmare when Elaine tripped and fell leaving the restaurant. The fall shattered her right elbow and hip.
An Injury Hampers an Active Lifestyle
After the accident, Elaine underwent a partial hip replacement. To fix the elbow, the bon...

In August 2023, Maria Strouble noticed that the pupil of one eye was unusually large, making her vision blurry. But when her primary care doctor recommended that she go to the emergency room, she resisted.
“I wasn’t having any other major symptoms, and I felt fine,” says the bubbly 44-year-old mother of four and grandmother of three from Weirton, West Virginia. “I’m stubborn, and I’m busy, and I felt dumb going to the ER.”
Nevertheless, she reluctantly went to the hospital to get checked out ...

Itching and burning in your genital area may signal a vaginal yeast infection. But these symptoms are also possible signs of a sexually transmitted infection (STI) or other problem.
Read on to learn about yeast infections, how they differ from other vaginal infections, and when to call the doctor.
What Is a Vaginal Yeast Infection?
A vaginal yeast infection happens when there’s an overgrowth of Candida, a yeast that exists alongside bacteria in the vagina. When the balance alters, the yeast c...

Most people associate hot flashes with perimenopause and menopause. The sudden, uncomfortable feeling of getting overheated is a classic symptom for women of a “certain age.” As many as eight out of 10 women in the U.S. experience hot flashes during perimenopause and menopause.
But there are other reasons people get hot flashes. For instance, did you know that both men and women can experience hot flashes? Men often get hot flashes when they’re undergoing prostate cancer treatment.
Here, we l...

If you’re like many Americans, you take a shower every day. But is that necessary? Would showering less often be better for you?
The short answer is: It depends. Read on for the details about how often — and how — you should shower.
How Often Do You Need to Shower?
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. How often you should shower depends on your physical activity, your age, your occupation, and any medical conditions you may have.
Not everyone needs to shower every day. On the other hand, show...

Testosterone is the primary sex hormone in men. It triggers the beginning of puberty in males. But it also has many other jobs in the human body.
What Does Testosterone Do?
Men need testosterone to make sperm and maintain their sex drive. The hormone also helps you keep muscle and bone strength as well as make red blood cells. It boosts your energy levels and contributes to your overall well-being.
Here are 10 facts every man should know about testosterone:
1. Testosterone Sets Off Puberty
Te...

You just noticed a new mole on your face, or maybe your acne flared up again. However, your busy work or home schedule doesn’t allow a visit to the dermatologist.
There’s a convenient solution. Virtual dermatology (a form of telehealth) is the quickest, most efficient way to get treatment for many skin conditions. Here’s a look at how virtual dermatology works.
What Is Virtual Dermatology?
Virtual dermatology means seeing your doctor from the comfort of your home. Virtual dermatology encompas...

Since the 1980s, doctors have known about a link between drinking alcohol and developing certain types of cancer. But is alcohol a carcinogen? In recent years, scientific evidence confirms that it definitely is.
In January 2025, the U.S. Surgeon General issued a statement detailing how alcohol causes some cancers. The report states that even moderate drinking raises your risk of developing breast, liver, and other cancers.
Here’s what you need to know about the relationship between alcohol an...

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Surgery is the oldest type of treatment for cancer, but that doesn't mean our methods are outdated. We use the latest minimally invasive techniques for cancer surgery whenever possible.
What Is Cancer Surgery?
In some cases, we use surgery to remove cancer, especially when it's found in just one part of the body. But sometimes surgery is a tool to diagnose cancer or to find out how far cancer has spread.
Cancer surgery is sometimes used alone. But we often combine it with ...

Dietary supplements — vitamins, minerals, herbs, or other botanicals — are wildly popular. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 57% of U.S. adults use dietary supplements. This includes everything from multivitamins and probiotics to fish oil and ginseng.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn’t regulate dietary supplements as strictly as prescription medications. Instead, companies that manufacture supplements must have evidence that their produc...

Your immune system is built to fight off germs. The healthier you are, the better it works. An immune system that’s functioning properly can help ward off colds and flu as well as protect you from chronic and serious diseases like type 2 diabetes and cancer.
Here are some simple ways you can boost your immunity during cold and flu season — and all year long.
Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet. You should get most of your vitamins and nutrients from unprocessed foods. Foods high in vitamin C an...

If your child has food allergies, your doctor may recommend a food challenge.
Don’t worry; a food challenge isn’t an eating contest. Rather, during a food challenge, your child will eat a certain food in a supervised place like a doctor’s office. The results may confirm that your child is or isn’t allergic to the food.
Here’s what you need to know about food challenges.
What Is a Food Challenge?
A food challenge (also called an oral food challenge) is a medically controlled method of confirmi...

Doctors use antibiotics to prevent and treat bacterial infections. These drugs have saved many lives for decades.
But sometimes bacteria mutate and the antibiotics that used to kill them don't work as well — or at all. When they no longer work well, bacterial infections can become more dangerous and spread.
The World Health Organization says antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to global health today.
Call the UPMC Center for Care of Infectious Diseases to learn more or make an...