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The heat and humidity of July have many of us paying more attention to our underarms.
Concerns about body odor go back at least as far as ancient Arab and Roman civilizations, when frequent baths or sweet-smelling oils were used to keep offensive odors to a minimum. Today's higher-tech alternatives essentially use the tried-and-true fragrance method with the addition of agents that kill odor-causing bacteria that thrive in warm, moist areas such as the underarms.
Many deodorants and antiperspirants on the market keep odor to a minimum in much the same way. Antiperspirants, however, also contain aluminum salts that plug sweat glands to keep the areas on which they are applied comfortably dry.
The FDA regulates both deodorants and antiperspirants. Deodorants are considered cosmetics by the agency because they don't affect the body's structure or function. Antiperspirants are considered to be drugs because they affect the function of the body by reducing the amount of sweat that reaches the skin.
An antiperspirant that also is intended to be a deodorant must comply with the regulations covering both drugs and cosmetics. For more on how to keep your underarms dry and (nearly) odor-free, check out our cover story titled "Antiperspirant Awareness: It's Mostly No Sweat."
When it comes to men, women, and medicine, the differences are more than skin-deep. While many diseases affect both men and women, some may progress differently, produce different symptoms, or respond differently to treatment, depending on the gender.
Ongoing research is looking into these differences and their potential causes, and FDA scientists are working to ensure that the drugs and medical devices regulated by the agency are safe and effective, regardless of the gender of the person being treated. For more on the differences between the genders when it comes to medical conditions and their treatments, see our feature article titled "Does Sex Make a Difference?"
In 1851, doctors came up with the name lupus erythematosus for a condition characterized by a facial rash. Lupus means "wolf" in Latin. Erythematosus means "redness." Those who came up with the name thought that the rash looked like the bite of a wolf.
Lupus is a disorder of the immune system known as autoimmune disease. In autoimmune diseases, the immune system turns against parts of the body it is designed to protect, leading to inflammation and damage to various body tissues. Lupus can affect many parts of the body, including the joints, skin, kidneys, heart, lungs, and brain.
At present, there is no cure for lupus. However, lupus can be effectively treated with drugs, and most people with the disease can lead active, healthy lives. For more on lupus, see our feature story titled "Battling Lupus."
We also take a look at how to protect yourself and your pet from rabies, at a new government program aimed at helping children develop healthy eating habits, and at the efforts to minimize the potential for confusion among drug names.
Raymond Formanek Jr.
Editor