Reader question of the week: “A friend of mine recently had her arms treated for sun damage. They painted her arms with a chemical solution and then activated it with a light. Is this safe?” Answer: While this type of treatment isn’t considered dangerous, the chemical burn can cause permanent scarring and is certainly not the current standard of care for hyperpigmentation (sun spots, age spots, liver spots) caused by sun exposure. I have patients that have previously either had hyperpigmentation treated with either burning or freezing that have needed to have their scars removed with our Palomar laser. While burning or freezing the spots will likely remove them, it also damages the surrounding skin. The standard of care for hyperpigmentation is Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) treatment, known as a photofacial when performed on the face and photorejuvenation when performed on other body parts. Have her Google “Palomar photofacial”. The first result will take her to the Palomar website where she can learn about photorejuvenation and/or laser scar removal.

No Sex, No City? That’s right! Without sex the human race will cease to exist.

While sex must be used for procreation, many of us use it for recreational purposes as well. Like to see some simple math? More T = More Sex. Less T = Less Sex. Hmm. Seems like those of us in relationships should be doing things to optimize our testosterone production and replacing it once the T starts to drop. Optimizing testosterone production in men and women revolves primarily around two areas: diet and exercise.

Diet. You are what you eat. Diets high in sugars and saturated fats are not only detrimental to testosterone production; they also lead to obesity. Obesity increases estrogen levels in men and women because the adipocytes (fat cells) are the primary site for conversion of testosterone and other androgens into estrogen via aromatase. Obese women usually don’t experience harsh menopause for this reason. This is also the reason that obese men have high estrogen levels and need either a “bro” (Kramer) or “manssiere” (George’s dad) according to Seinfeld. Extra fat leads to lower testosterone levels. Drop the weight to naturally increase your T!

Exercise. Increasing your exercise to achieve a target heart rate appropriate for your age group will not only help you decrease fat, it will increase your overall health. Lower testosterone is associated with higher risk for cardiovascular disease. Conversely, higher T and lower fat lead to a healthier heart. Not sure how to determine the appropriate exercise level? In Ruidoso, stop by the RAC and speak to one of their personal trainers. They can help get you on your way.

This is the final article in our Sex and the City series. I’m sure there will be future opportunities to come back and revisit the topic of sex and sex hormones, but in the interim, feel free to either drop me an email or stop by with further questions.

Disclaimer: Dr Stephen Rath, MD, DABA is a board certified anesthesiologist as well as the owner and medical director of Fusion Medical Spa located in Ruidoso, NM. He isn’t a sex therapist, but he believes that sex can be very therapeutic. Comments or questions? His email address is: DrRath@FusionMedicalSpa.net.