Cosmetics

Cosmetics are products you apply to your body to clean it, make it more attractive, or change the way it looks. They include:

• Hair dyes
• Makeup
• Perfumes
• Skin-care creams

Cosmetics that treat or prevent diseases are also drugs. Products such as dandruff shampoo, fluoride toothpaste, and antiperspirant deodorant are both cosmetics and drugs. A good way to tell if you're buying a cosmetic that is also a drug is to see if the first ingredient listed is an "active ingredient." The active ingredient is the chemical that makes the product effective. The manufacturer must have proof that it's safe for its intended use.

Cosmetics can cause allergic reactions. The first sign is often red and irritated skin. Fragrances and preservatives are the most common causes of skin problems.

To find out all the ingredients in a cosmetic you use, check the container. Manufacturers are required to list them. Labels such as "natural" and "hypoallergenic" have no official meaning. Companies can use them to mean whatever they want.

Food and Drug Administration

CT Scans

What is a CT scan?

Computed tomography (CT) is a type of medical imaging test that uses special x-ray equipment to make detailed pictures of the inside of your body.

A CT scan produces cross-sectional pictures, which are like slices of the body. These images show the size and structure of organs, bones, and other tissues. CT images can also be combined to create 3-dimensional (3D) views.

Health care providers use CT scans to diagnose, treat, and monitor many health conditions.

Your provider may suggest a CT scan for many reasons, including:

• Fractures (broken bones)
• Cancer
• Tumors or masses
• Blood clots
• Signs of heart disease
• Spinal conditions
• Lung disease

CT scans may also be used to find the best place to perform a biopsy or help guide certain treatments. They may also be used to check for internal bleeding or injury after trauma or to evaluate the brain for certain conditions.

You may be asked not to eat or drink for a few hours before the scan. Ask your provider if there are any special instructions to follow.

For some CT scans, you may receive a contrast material. Contrast helps certain parts of the body show up more clearly on the images. Depending on what area is being examined, contrast material might be given as:

• A liquid to swallow
• A shot (injection)
• An enema (placed into the rectum)

CT scans use ionizing radiation at levels higher than a standard x-ray, but the amount is kept as low as possible. Always tell your provider if you are pregnant or think you may be pregnant.

You may be asked to change clothes and remove jewelry or other items that could interfere with the scan.

During the scan, you lie still on a table. The table slowly passes through the center of a large donut-shaped machine. The x-ray tube rotates around your body to create images.

You may hear whirring sounds during the scan. You may be asked to hold your breath for short periods. The test is painless.

The scan usually takes a few minutes, but some may last up to 30 minutes, depending on the area being scanned.

Most people can return to normal activities right away. If you were given a contrast material, drinking fluids can help your body clear it.

A specialist called a radiologist reviews the images and shares the results with your provider.

NIH: National Cancer Institute

Hair Loss

You lose up to 100 hairs from your scalp every day. That's normal, and in most people, those hairs grow back. But many men -- and some women -- lose hair as they grow older. You can also lose your hair if you have certain diseases, such as thyroid problems, diabetes, or lupus. If you take certain medicines or have chemotherapy for cancer, you may also lose your hair. Other causes are stress, a low protein diet, a family history, or poor nutrition.

Treatment for hair loss depends on the cause. In some cases, treating the underlying cause will correct the problem. Other treatments include medicines and hair restoration.

Health Disparities

Health disparities are health differences between different groups of people. These health differences may include:

• How many people get certain diseases
• How severe the diseases are
• How many people have complications because of the diseases
• How many people die from a disease
• Whether people can get health care
• How many people get screened for a disease

These groups of people may be based on:

• Race
• Ethnicity
• Immigrant status
• Disability
• Sex or gender
• Sexual orientation
• Geography
• Income
• Level of education

NIH: National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities

Health Fraud

Health fraud scams involve selling medicines, supplements, devices, foods, or cosmetics that have not been proven effective. At best, these scams don't work. At worst, they're dangerous. They also waste money and might keep you from getting the treatment you really need.

Some of the possible dangers of scam products are that they could:

• Be contaminated from being made in unclean facilities or without proper quality control
• Contain harmful ingredients that are not listed on the label
• Trigger a harmful interaction with medicines you are taking
• Cause serious, even life-threatening, injuries

Health fraud scams can be found everywhere, promising help for many common health issues, including weight loss, memory loss, sexual performance, and joint pain. They target people with serious conditions such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, HIV, and Alzheimer's disease.

Just remember - if it sounds too good to be true, it's probably a scam. Some red flags to watch for are product claims that:

• Have personal testimonials by "real" people or "doctors" played by actors claiming amazing results.
• Say that the product can treat or cure a wide range of unrelated diseases. No one product can treat or cure many different illnesses.
• Mention conspiracy theories like "This is the cure our government and Big Pharma don't want you to know about."
• Include phrases such as:
  • Ancient remedy
  • Miracle cure
  • No-risk money back guarantee
  • Natural cure
  • Quick fix
  • Secret ingredient
  • Scientific breakthrough
• Use scientific-sounding terms that don't make sense for the products, such as "molecule multiplicity."
• Refer to prestigious prizes, for example "Nobel Prize winning technology."

Before taking an unproven or little-known product, talk to your health care provider, especially if you are taking any prescription medicines.

Food and Drug Administration